


Reunion at Sea

by ZoneRobotnik



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies), Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Cultists cultists everywhere, F/M, Frederic is a bastard, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Moon Powers Varian (Disney), Past Child Abuse, Rapunzel's not having a good time, This is a crossover now, Trauma, Unexpected babysitting, Varian Angst (Disney), Villain Varian (Disney)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 63
Words: 163,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27868117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoneRobotnik/pseuds/ZoneRobotnik
Summary: Shortly after having a nightmare vision about him on an island filled with dark magic, Rapunzel meets the real Varian on a prison barge and is forced to accept an ultimatum that directly affects her quest.
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Varian/OC
Comments: 617
Kudos: 284





	1. Overboard

**Author's Note:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney
> 
> ((A/N: This was requested by someone a while back, but I can't remember who. If it was you, please tell me!))

In retrospect, he was being incredibly petty. But, if anyone asked, the horse started it. That’s what was running through Eugene’s mind as he was drifting in the water with Maximus, watching the ferry leave without them after they fell overboard and Shorty, in his ever-so-helpful (not) way, failed to alert anyone.  
  
Maximus let out a huff and a knicker and Eugene fumed. “Oh-ho! Oh, this is _my_ fault, huh? Why couldn’t you just let me lean on the railing?!” He gestured to the ferry, which had disappeared into the fog. “Heaven forbid, someone would break a rule!”  
  
Maximus huffed and used his hooves to part the mane that had fallen loose in front of his eyes. “Well, don’t worry,” Eugene went on, “we’re out in the middle of nowhere.” He gestured around them, then sighed heavily. “I’m sure a ship’ll just come by and rescue us _any_ second now.” He added sarcastically.  
  
As if on cue, they heard something moving in the water behind them and looked up to see a ship passing by. “Okay,” Eugene said, after they both recovered from the shock of its arrival, “I’d like to take credit for being _right_ , but that was pure sarcasm just now.”  
  
Still, a ship was a ship and they’d take what they could get. There was a rope hanging off the side and they used that to climb up on deck.  
  
“There.” Eugene said as they got onboard. “Made it.” He looked around. “Not the _nicest_ of accommodations, but a boat’s a boat, right?” He looked down, his brow furrowing. “And _this_ boat just so happens to have dozens of _jail cells_.” He sighed, his shoulders slumped. “Max, we’ve hitched a ride on a prison barge.”  
  
Maximus let out a horrified neigh and Eugene patted his side. “Hey, hey, hey. Easy, Law and Order. All the bad guys are locked up.” He assured him. “Now, c’mon, let’s go find the captain.”   
  
Maximus neighed indignantly as he followed him.  
  
\--  
  
“Eugene!” Rapunzel stepped out on the ferry’s deck. “You’ve gotta come down! We’re playing charades and…” She faltered, not seeing any sign of her beloved. “Eugene?” She walked further out on deck, looking around. “Max?” She looked around the boxes. “Hello?”  
  
She didn’t see any sign of them and stood back. “Huh. Where’d they go?”  
  
\--  
  
“Look, trust me, buddy,” Eugene said as he led Maximus through the oddly-empty deck of the prison barge, “I’m sure this prison barge is heading to the mainland. It’s got nowhere else to go. And we’ll meet up with the gang there. Easy.”  
  
Maximus suddenly grabbed him and yanked him behind some boxes, moments before they heard someone saying, “The last of the guards have been taken out! The mutiny’s complete!”  
  
“Did he say ‘mutiny’?” Eugene whispered, and they slowly peeked up over the boxes to look at the deck that they’d walked onto.  
  
The prison barge, apparently, had been occupied by a good many criminals, many of them Lady Caine’s goons.   
  
“Whoa. Uh…” He looked at Maximus, who was giving him a dirty look. “Okay, well, a mutiny _might_ complicate things, but we can still—"  
  
“The ship is ours, boys!” Lady Caine declared from behind a sail, which she promptly tore a hole into to reveal herself before she jumped down to join the others.  
  
Eugene cringed. “Lady Caine…Anthony the Weasel…Pocket and Otter…and every other bad guy we’ve _ever_ put away.” He said in horror, rubbing his forehead.  
  
Maximus reached up a hoof and turned Eugene’s head to look to the side and Eugene spluttered. “Really?! The _horse_ , too?” He shrank down a bit. “This boat’s like a who’s who of people who want us _dead_.”  
  
They suddenly saw something small and gray land on Lady Caine’s shoulder, earning a surprised laugh, and then the gray thing moved from her to Anthony, stole Anthony’s hat as he left to climb up onto Pocket, then Otter, then continued down the line until Eugene saw a figure step out of the lower decks and kneel to allow the gray thing to climb up their arm and onto their shoulders, where it promptly put Anthony’s hat on their head before curling its long, bushy tail around the figure’s neck.  
  
“Oh no.” Eugene breathed. “Is that a…”  
  
“Ruddiger!” A familiar voice laughed as the teenage alchemist Varian came into the torchlight, his ever-faithful racoon wrapped around his neck. “Anthony, did he steal your hat?” He walked over and handed it to the older man. “Sorry about that. Guess he got bored.”  
  
“Eh, no hard feelings.” Anthony shrugged, putting it back on.  
  
“All done down there?” Lady Caine nudged him with a grin.  
  
“Yep. They won’t be escaping that cell for a while. By the time they do, we’ll have reached the mainland.” Varian assured her.  
  
Eugene slumped down on the ground, holding his head. “Great. _Varian’s_ here, _too_. The only guys _missing_ are…” He heard the sound of metal in wood and looked out again to see Eyepatch landing next to Axel, his brother walking up to join him. “…The Stabbingtons. Great.”  
  
He heard footsteps and ducked down real low, realizing there was someone else on board, and he was _really close to them_. He peeked out and saw a fur vest with a red shirt underneath and his eyes widened. Right. There was one more person he had almost completely forgotten about.   
  
He watched as Andrew of Saporia leaped over the railing to land with the others and walked over to join Varian, who he ruffled the hair of before grinning at Lady Caine, his arm around the kid’s shoulders.   
  
Eugene frowned, _really_ not liking seeing Cassandra’s rebel ex with that kid. Hell, seeing him with all these adult criminals didn’t feel right. Wasn’t he supposedly getting help with his, uh, _issues_ with processing grief? Didn’t King Frederic promise he’d get him help?  
  
“Looks like the gang’s all here.” He murmured.  
  
\--  
  
Eugene and Maximus had managed to find a better hiding place, but it wouldn’t last for long, they knew. Not with the Grand Collection of Criminals onboard.  
  
“Okay, so, we’re in the middle of a prison break.” He said, looking out at the criminals milling about. “Obviously, it’s pretty clear there’s only one thing to do.”  
  
Maximus pulled a sword from a barrel aggressively and Eugene sputtered. “Are you _nuts_?” He hissed. “No, I meant get _out_ of here! There’s no way that you and I can take on all of _them_ by ourselves.” He looked back out at the criminals, frowning as he saw Andrew and Lady Caine playfully messing with Varian by poking or tickling him. Judging by the half-hearted “Stop”s and laughing, he wasn’t feeling upset by it at all. He hated the implications this gave, that he had been around them enough for him to feel so comfortable with them. He was just a kid, why was he with adult criminals?  
  
Maximus neighed in a determined way and broke him from his thoughts and he looked back at him. “Look, I _know_ Max the Guard is supposed to apprehend the bad guys. I get it, but there is fifty of them, and only two of us! So, sometimes you gotta put the rules aside.”  
  
Maximus reluctantly set down the sword and Eugene rubbed his nose with an apologetic smile before he sat back. “Come on, let’s go find us a lifeboat, and get off this thing.” He started to sneak away. Maximus picked up the sword and put it back in the barrel before Eugene yanked him along quickly.  
  
\--  
  
Okay, so he managed to somehow evade all the criminals, and they’d found a lifeboat. The fun part was getting down onto it without the thing squea—oh, there it is. They quickly ducked out of sight just as they heard someone come running to check it out.  
  
“You hear something?”  
  
“Nah, that’s just your stomach growling. No one’s here.”  
  
“I dunno, maybe we should have the animals check it out. They’ve got better noses.”  
  
Eugene held his breath until they walked away, then looked at Maximus before they started to struggle with the winches on the lifeboat.  
  
“It…won’t…budge.” He groaned.  
  
“Those are really low quality; you’re not going to get _those_ moving without trouble.” They froze and slowly looked up to see Varian leaning on the railing, looking down at them with his hand on his cheek and a smug smile on his face. “Maybe Corona should spend more time on maintaining their military and equipment instead of throwing pointless parties all the time.”  
  
Eugene tensed. “…Hi, kid.”  
  
“Hi.” Varian stood up straight. “Hey, we’ve got some stowaways!”  
  
“No, no, don’t call them—” Eugene pleaded, wincing as they heard people approaching.  
  
“I _told_ you I heard something!”   
  
“Alright, let’s see what we got.” Lady Caine said, leaning on the railing and looking down at them. “Well, well, _well_. If it isn’t the Princess’s loyal lover and favorite guard horse. What brings you _here_ , hm?”  
  
Eugene cringed as Maximus’ ears folded down.  
  
“Need some help back up here, Flynn?” Varian asked with a sly smile.  
  
They didn’t get much say in the matter. Unarmed and cornered, they were hauled up by the criminals and Eugene was tied up while Maximus was trapped in pink goo. Eugene was hauled to the middle of the deck and surrounded while Maximus was guarded by Axel. Varian’s raccoon, he noticed, remained with the teenager.  
  
“…Did you get taller?” He asked, blinking up at him from where he’d been forced to sit.  
  
Varian raised an eyebrow. “Did I get _taller_? _That’s_ the first thing you say to me? Do you know how long it’s _been_ , Flynn?”  
  
“Eugene.” Eugene glanced away. “Haven’t been Flynn in a while.”  
  
Caine rolled her eyes. “I don’t think he _cares_ , lover boy. You left him to the _dogs_. Do you know what they _do_ to people like us, now that the death sentence has been abolished? Many of us almost wish the death sentence was still around, it would’ve been better than what we’ve been enduring.”  
  
“Poor Varian’s been through hell and back at the hands of the King, even before he did a single crime.” Andrew placed his hand on Varian’s shoulder gently. “All because he knew too much. That’s the kind of King that you’re going to have for a father-in-law, Eugene. And his family has been doing those kind of things for longer than you’ve been alive.”  
  
“But, hey,” Varian clapped his hands together with a cheerful smile, “it’s been _so_ long, why don’t you tell us how you’ve been? Oh, we’ve got food, if you’re hungry.”  
  
“Oh, hey, I actually am—” Eugene’s eyes widened and he jerked back. “No! No way, not from _you_!”  
  
“Relax.” Varian pulled out an apple and held it out to him. “It’s not like I can lace an apple with truth serum, can I?”  
  
Eugene’s brow furrowed. No, he shouldn’t be able to. He reached up with his bound hands to accept the treat and took a bite, realizing belatedly that 1) there IS a way to put truth serum on an apple and 2) why was no one _else_ eating any? He quickly spit it out, but the damage was done with the juice that had spilled down his throat. He could feel a tingling in his throat and he looked up at the teenager with horror in his eyes.  
  
“You may as well eat the rest.” Varian said cheerfully. “So, _Eugene_ , where is Princess Rapunzel going?”  
  
He paled and closed his mouth tightly, trying to fight the painful urge to tell him everything. He looked over at Maximus, but the guard horse was stuck tight in the goo and guarded. He looked around him at the criminals, who were eagerly waiting for him to tell them everything.  
  
He shook his head, determined to keep silent, but the longer he resisted, the more he felt like his insides were burning up. Good Gravy, this kid was a _sadist_! “NNgh…mmn…”  
  
“He can’t resist forever.” Varian assured them. “They always tell.”  
  
“Alright, guys, no need for us all to hang around.” Lady Caine smiled. “Varian and Andrew will tell us everything they find out. Let’s get ready to intercept that ferry.”  
  
“No, don’t, Rapunzel’s on there!” Eugene blurted out before he could stop himself.  
  
“Really!” Lady Caine grinned. “Well, now we’re _definitely_ going to! You two have fun here.” She walked off with the others.  
  
Eugene paled. “Please, no, we have to get to the Dark Kingdom to stop the Moonstone!” He pleaded, struggling in his binds.  
  
“The Moonstone?” He froze, feeling a gloved hand on his cheek, then turned his head back to face Varian, who had his hand on his cheek. “What’s the Moonstone?”  
  
“I-It’s a mystical object, like the Sundrop Flower, that has the powers of the moon and is creating the black rocks attacking Corona. Also, it’s apparently sentient.” Eugene swallowed nervously. He couldn’t stop it; he’d blurted out the truth once and now it was coming out like a waterfall with no dam.  
  
Varian nodded. “What’s the Dark Kingdom?”  
  
\--  
  
Eugene endured the interrogation for what felt like _hours_ before Varian was satisfied and then he was tied to a mast with goo around his feet, binding him to the deck. He knew that it probably _wasn’t_ hours, maybe only a few minutes at most, but it still _felt_ that long and he was feeling exhausted and barely put up a fight when he was hauled over to the mast and retied.  
  
Around him, the criminals were making plans to attack the ferry. He noticed that Varian seemed to be a big part of the strategy meeting, and of course he was. The kid had singlehandedly brought Corona to its knees and stolen away its Queen, forcing them to charge at him with all they had. If it wasn’t for the black rocks, he would’ve _won_ that day. From what Rapunzel told him, Varian had predicted every move they made, right down to setting up a doll of himself at the window to trick them into thinking he was standing there and gooing Rapunzel and her father when the King charged at it.  
  
And, god, Andrew and Lady Caine were sneaky schemers themselves. Andrew managed to seduce half the castle staff and would’ve gotten away with the book if it wasn’t for Eugene coming in and freeing the girls from where he’d cuffed them, and Lady Caine had led a whole attack on the castle during a coronation that only failed because of Rapunzel’s magical hair.  
  
Each of them were stopped by one little thing that had tripped them at the finish line, and now they were here, plotting together to attack the ferry that the love of Eugene’s life was on, completely unaware of what was going to happen to her.  
  
“Hey… _kid_.” He cringed. “Got a question.”  
  
Varian looked over, then looked back at the other two. “Sorry, Flynn, I’m busy.”  
  
“I told you, my name’s not Fly—”  
  
“And _my_ name’s not ‘kid’.” Varian said sharply.  
  
Eugene sighed. “Okay, fair. Varian, come on…talk to me.”  
  
“Gosh, _fine_.” He walked over and stood in front of him. “What is it, _Eugene_?”  
  
“How did you even get truth serum _on_ here?” Eugene frowned.  
  
Varian chuckled. “They search you on the way in, but they don’t see a reason to search you on the way out. Ruddiger got me a few things after we heard we’d be shipped out. Frankly, I was surprised the King let me out of his _sight_. He was _so_ keen to keep me locked up where he could keep tabs on me for the weeks leading up to, well, The Battle of Old Corona. My arrest. And then, when he had me behind bars…” He clutched at his shoulder, glancing away. “Nevermind. _I’m_ not the one on truth serum.” He smirked at him.  
  
“ _How_ did you end up with… _them_?” He nodded towards Lady Caine and Andrew.  
  
“I met Lady Caine on the barge, and Andrew was my cellmate for months. You know, ever since you took off and left me at the mercy of His Royal Majesty.” He clutched at his shoulder tighter and Andrew came over and gently coaxed his hand off his shoulder, speaking too quietly for Eugene to hear. “I’m okay.” Varian assured him. “Really.”  
  
“You don’t have to talk to him.” Andrew said, glancing at Eugene. “He doesn’t deserve it.”  
  
“Excuse me?” Eugene frowned.  
  
“You heard me, loyal dog.” Andrew steered Varian away to rejoin the conversation with Lady Caine.  
  
“Loyal _what_?” Eugene frowned.  
  
“You didn’t even _think_ to question the rumors, and never checked in on him all that time. You’re as much to blame for his pain as the Royal Guard.” Andrew said, then spoke quietly to Varian, his raccoon patting Varian’s cheek comfortingly just like when he had been arrested.  
  
Eugene frowned. “Var—”  
  
“Hey, why don’t you let us have a go at him, shut him up?” Sideburns suggested.  
  
“No, we need him intact for the bargaining.” Lady Caine shook her head. “If the Princess refuses to cooperate, you can have at him then.”  
  
“Better hope your girlfriend cooperates, then.” Sideburns sneered, leaning in close to Eugene’s face. “Or I’m gonna give you a new nose, pretty boy.”  
  
Eugene groaned. “Not the _nose_ …”  
  
\--  
  
Rapunzel opened the door to the caravan and looked in. “Uh, Eugene?” She frowned, not seeing him anywhere. “Maximus?” She sighed and closed the door, then continued to look around on deck with Pascal. “Eugene! Maximus!”  
  
She wasn’t seeing any sign of him _anywhere_! She groaned and looked at Pascal, who was looking through her spyglass. “Did Owl find anything?”  
  
Owl landed on a sail and shook his head. Not a sign of them.  
  
“There’s not on the bridge.” Cassandra said behind her, and she turned to her.  
  
“I checked all the cabins.” Hookfoot said, coming up on deck.  
  
“No sign of ‘em in the kitchen.” Lance said, casually walking up with a half-eaten sandwich. He popped it in his mouth and finished it off. “Ah. But let—let me go check again.”  
  
“Guys, I’m starting to get worried.” Rapunzel said anxiously. “How could they just _disappear_?”  
  
“They didn’t disappear.” Shorty said, leaning against the railing. “They were just in the water yelling for help.” He pointed to the water, right next to a broken opening in the railing.  
  
“You mean, they fell overboard?!” Rapunzel ran over to him. “Shorty, why didn’t you _say_ anything?!”  
  
“I _told_ you we shoulda’ told somebody.” Shorty said to the yam in his hand. “Aw, I can’t stay mad at you.” He hugged it before taking a bite.  
  
“We have to tell the Captain! How long ago did they fall?!” Rapunzel cried in alarm. “We’ve _got_ to turn this boat around. They could be _anywhere_ by now!”


	2. Ultimatum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel makes a difficult choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

“You know what I’m gonna do when we get into town?” Pocket asked. “I am gonna _pillage_.”  
  
“Pillage? Not me! I am gonna _plunder_.” Otter said smugly.  
  
“Pillaging and plundering are the same thing!” Pocket said impatiently.  
  
“Fine, then I’ll _loot_.” Otter declared.  
  
“Pillage, plunder and loot are all synonymous, you morons.” Anthony said, rolling his eyes. “ _I_ prefer to ‘despoil’.” He brought a hand to his chest in a dignified way.  
  
“Boys, boys, boys. Let’s not argue over semantics.” Lady Caine walked over to them. “There will be plenty of time for that later.”  
  
Andrew chuckled. “Get a load of _them_.” He nudged Varian.  
  
“Guys, don’t be so quick to raise suspicion or you’ll be right back in prison.” Varian told them with a sigh. “Stick to small crimes and build up over time, and make sure they don’t see you do it. Steal from homes when the people are out, wait for them to go for firewood to rob their carts, stuff like that.”  
  
“Why can’t we just coax one of them into handing the goods over?” Lady Caine smirked, looking back at him.  
  
“I don’t know, do any of _you_ have baby-blue eyes and the face of a child that can do no wrong?” Varian asked, putting on puppy eyes before smirking.  
  
“Point taken.” Lady Caine chuckled. “Is that going to be your strategy, then?”  
  
“My next move is reliant on the Princess.” Varian replied. “If Eugene was telling the truth, which I _know_ he was, then this ‘Moonstone’ should be able to help me free my father. I’m going for it. Whether I’m going to have to be _sneaky_ about it or can convince her to _take_ me to it is up to her.”  
  
“Still don’t feel good about you planning to go off alone with her, but I’m sure you can take care of yourself. For now, let’s keep our wits about us until we find that ferry.” Lady Caine nodded firmly.  
  
Eugene groaned from where he was still tied to the mast. He couldn’t hear what was said clearly from where he was, but it didn’t sound good. He struggled with the ropes binding his wrists and realized with a long groan that on top of the rope, he also had _goo_ on his gloved wrists. Of course, why did he expect any less?   
  
“Hey, can someone let me loose for a bit?” He called. “I think that truth serum is really going through me or something!”  
  
“We’re not falling for it!” Varian called back as the others laughed.  
  
“Darn.” Eugene sighed heavily and looked over at Maximus, who was looking _miserable_ , then looked back at his captors. “You know, I just don’t get it. You’re a ship _full_ of _criminals_. You _have_ to know that the law will be all _over_ you as soon as you hit the mainland!”  
  
“Well, here’s the thing,” Lady Caine walked over to him, “they’ll be too busy worrying about the damage caused _somewhere else_.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Eugene paled.  
  
“We’re going to send someone ahead in secret to blow up something.” She smirked. “Something _big_. Maybe another ship. Or maybe, we’ll just blow up the ferry once we get what we want from it.”  
  
Eugene laughed. “Come on, you won’t take the ferry! Cassandra is there, and she can take _any_ of you on!”  
  
“Sure, but will she act against her Princess’s word?” Varian walked over and leaned his arm on Eugene’s shoulder and he glanced at him, really taking in how much taller he’d gotten, his head easily reaching Eugene’s shoulder now, around Rapunzel’s height. “After all, you’re not getting free of this thing until _I_ let you loose. Or until thirteen hours have passed, take your pick.” He shrugged. “Either way, nothing can stop us from killing you if she doesn’t cooperate. We already promised the Stabbingtons they can have at you in that case. And, by the way, Cassandra attacking us is _not_ cooperating.”  
  
Eugene sighed. “Always five steps ahead, aren’t you, kid?” He muttered.  
  
Varian just looked smug and patted his cheek before he walked off to lean against the railing and talk with Andrew quietly.  
  
“It was _his_ idea to use you for ransom. The _rest_ of us wanted you _dead_.” Lady Caine remarked. “You should thank him, he’s the _only_ reason you’re not thrown overboard strapped to an anchor.”  
  
Eugene groaned and silently hoped for another tripping at the finish line to happen.  
  
\--  
  
“Captain, _please_!” Rapunzel cried. “We _have_ to go back and look for them! My friends could be in serious danger!”  
  
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got a schedule to keep, kid!” The captain insisted. “If those Genella torches stop burning before we make it to the mainland, there’ll be nothing to keep the firefly from destroying all these crops!”  
  
The ship suddenly shook violently and they both ran out to see something flying out of the fog before it impacted the ship, starting a small fire. The crew rushed to put it out anxiously, and then they saw a ship coming up alongside them.  
  
“What—who—” Rapunzel looked up at them.  
  
“Raps, that’s the Coronan prison barge.” Cassandra said, seeing something on the side that identified it.  
  
They all gasped as swords were thrown and stabbed into the ferry, with rope attached to them. Then they saw figures swinging out at them from the other boat, their appearances obscured by the fog.  
  
“Who’s there?!” Rapunzel cried.  
  
She gasped as she heard someone land behind her and turned in alarm to see--  
  
“Varian?!”  
  
He looked very much like her nightmare vision on the island, if a little taller. “Hello, Rapunzel.” He greeted with a sly smile. “Been a while.”  
  
“Get away from her!” Cassandra ran at him.  
  
“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you!” Varian held out a hand to her in a halting motion. “If you attack me, the Stabbingtons will _kill_ Eugene.”  
  
Rapunzel glanced around and saw Corona’s criminals all over the ship, with frightened crew and passengers at their mercy. “…What do you want?” She looked at Varian, guessing he was the ringleader somehow.  
  
Varian chuckled and nodded to the barge, which lowered its ramp. “Come onboard. Lady Caine wants to speak with you.”  
  
“Lady Caine.” Rapunzel breathed, then reluctantly followed him up the ramp. “Varian…how are you here?”  
  
“You can thank your father for that. No, really, thank him. It’s the one good thing he’s done for me, finally letting me out of that hell and sending me off to the prison barge.” He chuckled bitterly.  
  
Rapunzel’s brow furrowed. “He promised to help you.”  
  
“Oh, he helped me, alright. He helped me learn just how bad a kid I was, how little I mattered to the Kingdom, that it was by his good and royal graces that I was even still alive.” Varian said coldly. “He taught me those lessons with words and with the strike of a whip on my back. He taught me that I was born dangerous and would never be anything good.”  
  
“I-I don’t believe it.” Rapunzel shook her head. “My father wouldn’t—”  
  
“Would you like a visual demonstration of your father’s ‘help’? His ‘care’?” He turned to her. “Because we can go below deck and I can _show_ you what he did to me. What he did to _many_ of us.” He turned and walked on.  
  
Rapunzel looked back at Cassandra, who had been silently following alongside her. “H-He can’t be _serious_.”  
  
They stepped onto the deck and she gasped when she saw Eugene bound to a mast. “Eugene!” She ran past Varian and looked him over anxiously.  
  
“Relax, Princess,” she tensed and looked over as Lady Caine walked up to her, “we didn’t hurt him.”  
  
Rapunzel frowned, then looked over at Varian and was surprised to see him walking over to stand next to—  
  
“What’s _Hubert_ doing here?” Cassandra asked coldly.  
  
“Oh, wow, you still remember that lie.” The Saporian man chuckled. “My name is actually Andrew, not Hubert. I was messing with you.”  
  
Cassandra fumed. “Well, why are you _here_?”  
  
“Well, _Cassie_ ,” Varian gestured around them, “he was in _prison_. My cellmate, actually! And then we both got shipped off with the rest of them! Best day of my life, really.”  
  
Andrew chuckled. “I recall you saying “’you’ll probably regret this’ as we left.”  
  
“And here we are.” Varian gestured towards Rapunzel.  
  
“That’s right. Here we are.” Lady Caine said, and Rapunzel looked back at her. “Honestly, we hadn’t _planned_ on meeting you, but it was sure lucky for us that your idiot boyfriend decided to fall overboard and then climb up into our ship. So, _now_ , you have a choice to make, Princess.” She grabbed her arm and pulled her away from Eugene to stand in the middle of the deck.  
  
“A choice?” Rapunzel breathed.  
  
“I _know_ , you’re so _bad_ at those. But, I think you can manage _this_ one.” Varian assured her. “We want your cooperation to ensure safe passage to the mainland, and I want you to take me to that _Moonstone_ Eugene told us about.”  
  
“WHAT?!” Cassandra roared. “You TOLD him?!”  
  
“He snuck truth serum onboard and coated an apple in it!” Eugene said defensively. “I didn’t realize it because it wasn’t _purple_!”  
  
Varian smiled and stroked Ruddiger’s fur fondly. “My best friend ensured I would have everything I’d need to get away, once out of the King’s sight.” He said fondly. “Anyways, those are our terms if you want him back alive.”  
  
“And what’s to stop us from throwing you off a cliff once we’re on our way?” Cassandra challenged.  
  
“I’ll tell you what’s to stop you.” Andrew walked over and leaned his arm on Eugene’s shoulder, casually holding a knife to his neck. “As long as you do as he wants, Corona is safe. But if you don’t cooperate, then I’ll send a message to my people to destroy the Kingdom and kill everyone in it, starting with your father, Cassie. We’ll kill the King last, make him watch.”  
  
She clenched her fists. “You—”  
  
“Cass!” Rapunzel looked at her desperately, then at Eugene, who was still in a dangerous position.  
  
Cassandra stepped back. “Fine.”  
  
“So, those are our terms. Safe passage for our ship, and you bring Varian to the Moonstone. Not so hard to do.” Lady Caine walked over and patted Rapunzel’s cheek. “It’s not really a hard choice, is it? Your lover’s life and freedom for our very simple requests?”  
  
Rapunzel pursed her lips. “Varian, you don’t understand. I’m going to the Moonstone to _des—_ ”  
  
“I know, he told me.” He said sharply, cutting her off. “But, I can’t let you do that. What if, when you do that, the black rocks vanish and take my father with them? What if you do it and he’s trapped forever, with no way of freeing him? That Moonstone may be my only chance of freeing my father, and so I’m taking it.”  
  
Rapunzel looked torn. “Varian…”  
  
He walked up close to her, uncomfortably close, and Cassandra had to force herself to not grab him and throw him away from her, knowing the slightest move would kill Eugene. “I’m not going to let you destroy it, Rapunzel. So, either you take me with you as a companion to your group, or I go there with _my_ group and we take it before _you_ can, and you lose Eugene _and_ your Kingdom. Take your pick.”  
  
“Varian, is this what your fath—”  
  
“Don’t even try to pull _that_ , Princess.” He hissed. “Thanks to _your_ family’s   
inaction, thanks to _you_ asking me to study the rocks that your family was ignoring because _you_ couldn’t do it, thanks to you _throwing me out into a snowstorm_ instead of helping me back then, my father can’t want _anything_ right now, and I have been put through _hell_.” He clutched at his shoulder. “So, don’t even _try_ to ask me if it’s what my father would _want_.”  
  
Lady Caine gently eased his hand off his shoulder and coaxed him back a few paces. “It’s alright, we’ve got this in the bag. She can’t refuse, she’s just procrastinating at this point. She can’t _afford_ to turn her back on you this time.”  
  
“I know…I _know_ , I just…” He sighed and leaned his head on her shoulder. “Sorry.”  
  
“Don’t apologize, silly.” She gently stroked his hair and then pushed his bangs out of his face before kissing his forehead. “Let me handle this, alright?”  
  
He nodded and walked over to stand with Eugene and Andrew, instead.  
  
Lady Caine sighed heavily, then turned back to Rapunzel. “Well, _Princess_ , what do you say?”  
  
“How would you know if we…if we didn’t _cooperate_ once we left you?” Rapunzel asked shakily.  
  
“Varian is going to be sending us a message every week to let us know all is well.” Lady Caine smirked. “Turns out, Andrew’s got a hawk that followed us out to sea.” She pointed up and they saw a hawk sitting high above. “He’s been waiting for Andrew to leave prison.”  
  
Cassandra frowned. “I know that hawk. He sent messages to me with it before.”  
  
Lady Caine nodded. “See? Even your Lady-in-Waiting knows him.”  
  
“Her. Cleo is a girl.” Andrew corrected.  
  
“Right, sorry!” Lady Caine grinned at him.  
  
Rapunzel held her head. “I…I can’t make this decision on my _own_. I…”  
  
“Corona’s future Queen, everyone!” Lady Caine said, gesturing to Rapunzel. Cassandra fumed as everyone laughed and Rapunzel blushed with shame.  
  
Rapunzel clenched her fists and closed her eyes tightly. “No. You’re _right_. I _can’t_ be afraid to make choices, I _can’t_ rely on others to tell me what the best option is!” She opened her eyes and raised her head, a newly-lit fire in her eyes. “Fine. I will _accept_ your terms.”  
  
“Rapunzel!” Cassandra and Eugene both protested.  
  
“And when we get back to Corona, I am going to look into what happened down in the dungeon after I left. And I _will_ be making changes when I am Queen!” Rapunzel said firmly.  
  
Lady Caine slow-clapped with a smile. “ _There_ we go. There’s the fire you had at the coronation. Here I was wondering how such a meek, little girl went against her father’s orders and bested me, but it looks like you just needed to thaw out after that blizzard, hm?”  
  
“You’re right. Ever since my failed attempt to rule during the blizzard, I’ve been afraid to make choices, content to just let others handle things for me. I started that day so _confident_ , so _sure_ that I had everything under control, but even _before_ the blizzard, my confidence was shaken, and then everything came at once and when Nigel took control of the situation, I just _let_ him and I know now that I should’ve been more assertive. When my father said everything was under control with the rocks, I didn’t even question it or go to visit who I _claimed_ to be my _friend_ , and now…now we’re _here_.” She turned to face Varian. “I’m…I’m _sorry_. I should’ve _been_ there. I should’ve _never_ let them throw you out into the snow, or whatever _else_ my father did behind my back—”  
  
“I’ll give you a hint, the masked men were already _in_ Old Corona when you arrived and _had_ been for weeks.” Varian said calmly.  
  
“—but I’m going to make things right! Starting with taking you to the Moonstone so you can find a way to free your father before we _destroy_ it, so it _never_ hurts anyone _again_.” Rapunzel nodded firmly.  
  
“And the safe passage to the mainland for Lady Caine and the others.” Varian reminded her.  
  
“Yes.” Rapunzel nodded. “I will use my power as Princess of Corona to arrange that.”  
  
“Good.” Lady Caine grinned. “Maybe we don’t have to blow up the ferry, after all. Let’s get your house-on-wheels up here, as well as the rest of your group, and we’ll continue on our way.”  
  
“What did you do with the crew and guards?” Cassandra asked.  
  
“Put them in a cell confined in goo.” Varian shrugged. “It’ll wear off in thirteen hours.”  
  
“How do you even have the stuff to _make_ that goo?” Cassandra frowned.  
  
Varian smiled slyly. “You have _no_ idea how fast my raccoon can run. While they were still loading up the prisoners and cargo, he was collecting everything I would need for a successful breakout and sneaking it and himself onboard.” He fondly nuzzled his pet, who nuzzled back. “The guards just thought he ran away and left to live in the wild, boy were _they_ surprised.”  
  
Pascal made a sound of discontent, then squeaked and pointed his tail towards Maximus, who was next to Lady Caine’s horse and trapped in goo.  
  
“Oh, thank goodness he’s okay.” Rapunzel breathed. “I thought we’d lost him, but I’d hoped…”  
  
“Relax, we wouldn’t hurt him.” Lady Caine assured her. “Turns out, Saporians have a problem with hurting animals.”  
  
“Actually, we have a problem with humans forcing animals to work for them, too. The horseshoes and the saddle and bridle…” He cringed. “Well, there’s a reason my people use hot-air balloon. Hawks and the others few animals that we work alongside are our partners, we don’t confine them or bind them in any way. And we _do_ have another way of communication that doesn’t involve animals but I, sadly, don’t have it on me right now.”  
  
“You still haven’t taught me how to build one.” Varian looked up at him.  
  
“I’ll draw you a blueprint when we get to the mainland.” Andrew assured him, then pulled the knife away and retracted it back into the hilt before he slipped it into his vest and walked off. “I’ll go tell the others to bring your group and caravan up here, Princess. You just sit tight.”  
  
“Eugene!” Rapunzel ran to Eugene’s side again and Varian stepped away to give them some privacy. “Are you okay, did they hurt you?”  
  
“Uh, kind of? Turns out, if you don’t just give in to the truth serum, YOUR INSIDES FEEL LIKE THEY’RE ON FIRE!” He glared at Varian, who shrugged. “Who knew you’d be so SADISTIC?!”  
  
“I was mad.” Varian shrugged again. “The whole Kingdom turned their backs on me, Eugene, I wanted to get back at them somehow.”  
  
Eugene struggled in his binds and growled. Varian smirked. “Besides, it wouldn’t have hurt if you’d just given in. Then again, _I_ didn’t learn that lesson, so I don’t blame you for fighting it.” He shrugged.  
  
Rapunzel turned to him. “I agreed to your terms, let him go!”  
  
He eyed her with a cold expression. “Not until we reach the mainland, Princess. We’re not taking any chances.”  
  
Rapunzel clenched her fists, but she took a deep breath and released it before turning back to Eugene and gently cupping his face in her hands. “Eugene…”  
  
“I’m okay, Blondie.” He assured her. “We’ll be out of this in no time.”  
  
“Aww, does this mean we can’t gut Rider?” Anthony the Weasel walked over to them. Rapunzel moved in front of him protectively.  
  
“Stand down, Anthony.” Lady Caine assured him. “We got what we wanted. He lives, this time. But, I guarantee nothing for any future encounters.” She chuckled and walked off with Varian.  
  
“They seem…close.” Cassandra frowned, walking over to join Rapunzel and Eugene.  
  
“Guess she kind of adopted him as a little brother like Andrew did.” Eugene sighed. “Sorry, Blondie, this is all my fault. I was so stupid, I was arguing with Maximus and we went overboard when the railing I was leaning on broke.”  
  
“Well, I think Maximus took a blow to his pride.” Cassandra said, watching as Fidella came onboard and neighed aggressively to Axel before shoving him away from her partner. “ _Wow_ , girl.”  
  
“Yeah, me too.” Eugene sighed, then looked over as Lance, Hookfoot and Shorty came onboard, followed by the caravan being hauled up by criminals.  
  
“Uh, wow.” Lance walked over to look at Eugene. “So, what happened?”  
  
“Uh, gee, _Varian_ was onboard, and his raccoon apparently smuggled in some alchemy stuff for him to use!” Eugene groaned. “And I’m _stuck_ like this until he lets me go!”  
  
“Wait, hold on, Varian? That alchemist? Where?” Hookfoot looked around.  
  
“What, did you guys miss when he came onto your ship and escorted Rapunzel up here or something?” Eugene nodded towards where Lady Caine and Varian were talking, laughing about something. “He’s the kid over there. Though, he’s gotten a _lot_ taller than before…”  
  
“Wait, the alchemist is a _kid_?” Lance’s brow furrowed. “We were fighting a _kid_ back then?!”  
  
“Oh, right. You didn’t know.” Eugene nodded. “Yeah, he wasn’t just a short, gangly adult, he’s a teenager. He’s…a kid that was trying to save his dad and…did a lot of bad things to do it.” He sighed. “All because we let him down.”  
  
Rapunzel clutched at her hair anxiously. “…I need to know…what my father did to him down there.” She left Eugene’s side and walked over to him. “Varian?”  
  
He looked over his shoulder at her, and Rapunzel was suddenly struck with the realization that they were close to the same height now. When did he get so tall? “Yes, Princess?” He asked calmly.  
  
His voice was deeper, too, and he’d filled out a little. He wasn’t so gangly anymore, he had…aged.  
  
“I…I wanted to know what my father did to you.” She said, wringing her hands together.  
  
“We’ll have time for that later.” He turned away from her to continue his conversation.  
  
“Right.” She nodded, stepping back. “I’ll…I’ll ask later, then.” She walked away from him. ‘I want to believe my father would never lie to me, that he wouldn’t hurt Varian, but…why do I feel such a sense of dread? Of foreboding?’ She looked back at him and had a flash of memory of when they had gotten into his home to save her mother. Her father had lunged forward and grabbed the doll, which he had thought was Varian himself, so roughly, held his shoulders so tightly and yanked him so quickly it would’ve surely hurt the actual teenager.  
  
Teenager…she was still one herself, wasn’t she? Nineteen years old and still so new to the world she wanted so badly to be a part of.  
  
She looked up at the sky and silently prayed to the Sun for guidance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A choice is made, and the quest will continue...but what will come at the end?


	3. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel finds out what her father did to Varian in the months she'd been away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

The ferry was allowed to go on its way and the prison barge continued alongside it to the mainland, at a distance. Rapunzel and her group were put in the Captain’s chambers and locked in, with the exception of Eugene, who was still on the mast, and Maximus, who was still gooed down.  
  
“I wish he was in here with us…” Rapunzel sighed, looking out the window at Eugene being heckled by criminals.  
  
“They don’t want to risk us pulling something last-minute.” Cassandra sighed.  
  
“So…that crazy kid is going with us, right?” Hookfoot said nervously. “Can, uh…can he stay on _your_ side? I mean, the guys’ side is already pretty full, and…”  
  
“Are you nuts? Putting him with girls?” Cassandra frowned.  
  
“Hey, it’s either a couple of women or a bunch of adult men.” Lance shrugged. “ _Neither_ are good roommates for a kid.”  
  
“He can share _my_ bed.” Shorty said lazily.  
  
“Shorty, you sleep in the tub.” Lance looked at him.  
  
“Eeeexactly! Plenty of room!” He said cheerfully.  
  
“That _does_ bring up a question, though. What is he going to _sleep_ _on_? Shorty sleeps in the _tub_ because we didn’t plan on having more than five people in the caravan!” Rapunzel started to pace. “ _Someone_ is going to have to share, or we’re going to have to put in another bed. But there’s no more room for a bed in the guys’ side, so he’ll _have_ to share with Cass and me!”  
  
“Maybe we should talk to the _kid_ about it.” Lance suggested.  
  
“Uh…yeah.” Rapunzel went to the door and knocked on it. When that didn’t get an answer, she walked to the window, opened it, and set Pascal down. “Uhm, go get Varian?”  
  
Pascal nodded and hopped down to go find him.  
  
\--  
  
“Gonna be honest…” Varian sighed, leaning his head on Andrew’s shoulder. “I’m nervous. I mean, I put up a good face earlier, but…I’m actually a little scared. Even if they don’t kill me, they could still hurt me, threaten me to keep quiet…”  
  
“I don’t think the Princess would allow that.” Andrew assured him gently, squeezing his hand in his. “She’s naïve, not cruel.”  
  
Varian nodded, then moved his hand from Andrew’s to grip his shoulder. Andrew sighed and gently took his hand again. “Does it still hurt?”  
  
“I think all that activity might’ve torn a stitch open.” Varian said quietly.  
  
“We’ll get it looked at.” Andrew stood up and helped him stand as well, then looked down. “Huh. Looks like the Princess wants your attention.”  
  
Varian looked down to see Pascal at his feet. Ruddiger hopped down from Andrew’s shoulders and growled protectively. Varian sighed and knelt to allow Pascal to climb onto his hand. “Good timing. She wants to see what her father did to me? Let’s go fix these up in there, it’s where the medic kit is, anyway.”  
  
Andrew nodded and they all went back to the Captain’s quarters. Varian reached into his large coat and pulled out the goo neutralizer to free up the door before they opened it and went inside.  
  
“Lose something?” He held out Pascal and he hopped down and climbed up Rapunzel to rest on her shoulder.  
  
“Ah, yes, I told him to go find you. We wanted to talk to you about something.” Rapunzel said, watching as Andrew closed and closed the door, then covered the windows. “Uhm, what’s going on?”  
  
Varian unfastened his stolen Captain’s coat and let it slip from his back. Andrew came over and pushed stuff off the Captain’s table and started to set up the medical supplies. Varian pulled up the chair and sat down on it backwards.  
  
“You’re going to have to remove your shirt.” Andrew reminded him.  
  
“I know, I know, I just…I’m not exactly _eager_ for it.” Varian glanced away, taking off his gloves.  
  
“What are you doing?” Cassandra asked, frowning.  
  
“Quick question: Are any of you squeamish? If so, turn away, we don’t want the mess.” Andrew said as he helped Varian pull off his shirt. Rapunzel’s brow furrowed as she saw bandages around his torso and then realized with a start there was was a red stain on his turquoise shirt. As his shirt came off completely, the stain was also on the bandages wrapped around his shoulder.  
  
“We need to redo the stitches here, he tore them earlier.” Andrew sighed. “I _told_ you to let someone else do it, but _you_ wanted to escort her.”  
  
Varian bowed his head, hiding his blushing from their captives.  
  
“Stitches for…what?” Rapunzel asked shakily.  
  
“Brace yourself.” Andrew told her, carefully starting to unwrap the bandages. Varian tensed as his back was slowly revealed to the others. Rapunzel let out a cry of alarm and he closed his eyes, knowing what she was seeing fully well.  
  
Welts and scars covered his back, old and new with some very recent. It was these recent ones that Varian had torn and Andrew carefully prepared a heated needle and thread and got to work.  
  
  
  
“What…what are these?” Rapunzel asked as she walked closer to him.  
  
“Oh, just the King helping me to know I’m disrespectful trash, that’s all. He gave me an offer I had to refuse and he had me whipped for it. And this happened every. Damn. Month.” He gripped the chair tightly, trying to keep from crying out in pain as Andrew worked.  
  
“An offer?” Cassandra frowned.  
  
“Trust me, you don’t wanna know.” Varian shook his head. “It’s bad enough you’re seeing this.”  
  
“Varian, I…I _swear_ , I had _no_ idea…” Rapunzel brought a hand to her mouth.  
  
“It’s fine. I’m away from him now.” Varian closed his eyes. “So, you wanted to talk to me?”  
  
“Oh, uh…we have a bit of a problem concerning accommodations in the carriage. See, we planned for _five_ of us, and then we had to find somewhere for Shorty, and now we don’t know where we’re going to put _you_ , the guys’ side is pretty full and the other side is, well, it’s the girls’ side…” She sounded apologetic.  
  
“I don’t mind sharing a bed with someone. Done it before.” Varian said calmly. “I should warn you; I will probably wake you up with screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night.”  
  
Lance’s brow furrowed. “Nightmares?”  
  
“Yeah.” Varian nodded. “Usually Andrew helps me with them, but…” He shrugged.  
  
Lance nodded thoughtfully.  
  
“Honestly, I would have to look at the place to decide where I would sleep.” He admitted. “I don’t care either way if I’m with guys or girls, because I’ve been living in _prison_ and _privacy_ isn’t a luxury I’ve been afforded.”  
  
“There.” Andrew finished up and went to grab fresh bandages. “Now, let’s not tear these open again, got it? Take it easy for the next week.”  
  
“Yeah, okay.” Varian sighed heavily.  
  
Andrew chuckled and started to wrap him up again. “Don’t tear any of the others, either. Who’s the medic in your group?” He glanced back at the group.  
  
“Oh, uhm, everyone but Shorty is pretty good at medical stuff.” Rapunzel admitted.  
  
“I can heal it with my magical fish.” Shorty said, waving a fish he pulled out of his beard.  
  
Varian looked at Rapunzel. “So…why is the town drunk here?”  
  
“He hitched a ride, we didn’t realize it until a week in.” Rapunzel admitted.  
  
“Must’ve been _following_ us for us not to notice him sooner.” Cassandra frowned.  
  
“Huh.” Varian looked forward again, waiting for Andrew to finish with the bandages.  
  
“Shorty?” Rapunzel looked at him.  
  
“I hold the silence.” He walked off to a corner with his fish.  
  
“…We just don’t question it.” Lance admitted.  
  
“Probably a wise choice.” Varian nodded, then pulled on his shirt once Andrew stepped away, then stood up and grabbed his dark coat to pull it over the stained shirt and conceal it from view. Ruddiger then took his place around Varian’s shoulders again and nuzzled him.  
  
Rapunzel walked up to him. “Varian…I really am sorry that my father…that I left you to him. I…truthfully actually feared the other way around, that _you_ would break free and…and _hurt_ him.”  
  
He chuckled. “Well, Princess, he had me pretty tightly locked up and heavily guarded in High-Security. I wasn’t getting out of there without help.”  
  
“I didn’t know. He promised he would get you _help_.” Rapunzel said anxiously. “I thought he would be helping you with your _grief_ , not…not _this_!” She gestured to his back.  
  
Varian shrugged. “Sorry, Princess, your father is a liar. But, I think we confirmed _that_ when you realized that he lied about the Sundrop Flower being gone.”  
  
“Yeah, about that, did you _have_ to _destroy_ it?” Rapunzel frowned.  
  
Varian chuckled. “It was _dead_ , Rapunzel. It was just a mockery of my _pain_ at that point, and I don’t _do_ well with mockeries of my pain, like you and your parents having a heartwarming _group-hug_ while I’m kneeling before my father IN TEARS!” He glared at her coldly, then walked to the door. “Let’s go, Andrew.”  
  
“So he says.” Andrew walked over to open the door for him and then they walked out. Varian pulled a goo bomb from his coat pocket and dropped it at the door before they walked away, letting it expand and secure their continued captivity.  
  
Varian sighed and walked over to lean on the railing glumly. Andrew walked over and leaned on the railing with him, letting him bask in the silence for a bit. Varian sighed and ran his hands through his bangs. “I let her get to me.”  
  
“Yep.” Andrew nodded.  
  
“I need to keep my temper in check, I can’t show weakness.” He looked down at the water below. “I can’t let her think she can _use_ me again.”  
  
Andrew rubbed his head. “I know, buddy. But, you can do this.”  
  
Varian nodded. “I can do this.”  
  
He gently squeezed his shoulder, then took his hand in his. “And if you need me, just send Cleo. I’ll come.”  
  
Varian smiled softly. “Thanks.” He sighed and looked towards the caravan. “…May as well inspect the new place.” He left his side and walked over to open the caravan door, looking in. “Hmm…two beds, paint supplies, a whetstone…this must be the girls’ side.” He closed the door and went to the other side. “Wow, this side is really crowded.”  
  
Andrew walked over to look in. “Wow, you’re not kidding. They expect you to sleep in _here_?”  
  
“Screw that, I’ll take Cassandra and Rapunzel for a roommate over squeezing in _here_.” Varian shut the door and shook his head.  
  
“Something wrong?” Lady Caine walked over to him.  
  
“Just looking at my ‘accommodations’.” Varian made a face.  
  
She laughed. “Can’t be picky, kid, you’re joining them midway.”  
  
“Yeah, well, I’m rooming with the girls.” He opened the door. “No more room for another bed in _there_.”  
  
She looked in. “Oh, wow. Yeah, you’re gonna have to room with the girls. Unless they kick someone out, that is.”  
  
Varian laughed.  
  
\--  
  
Rapunzel looked out the window with a furrowed brow. It looked like Varian was checking out the caravan. She looked towards Eugene, who had apparently decided to take a nap while waiting to be set free. She sighed, wishing she could do more for him.  
  
“Just a bit longer, Eugene.” She said softly. “We’ll be at the mainland soon.”  
  
“So, what do you think his estimate is?” Cassandra said, coming to stand at her side.  
  
“Uhm…” Rapunzel tilted her head to the side. “I don’t think he likes the guys’ side. Yeah, Lady Caine is laughing at something about it now.”  
  
They watched as Varian shut the door, shook his head, then walked off throwing his hands in the air in an exasperated way, yelling something they couldn’t hear properly. Then he leaned against the railing again and Rapunzel turned back to the group. “So…I guess we’re just waiting, now.”  
  
“I really don’t like this.” Hookfoot groaned. “It’s bad enough that we’re going to certain doom, but we have to babysit a _psychopath_ on the way!”  
  
“He’s not a psychopath.” Rapunzel frowned.  
  
“Uhm, Raps? Pretty sure he _is_. Whatever his reasons, he got violent and aggressive as a way to cope with his grief.” Cassandra sighed. “Never thought we’d meet him again _this_ way…”  
  
Rapunzel sighed. “I know, I didn’t think so, either. I’m as floored by this as when I met him again on that boat in Corona, when he coaxed me into helping him steal the Sundrop Flower.” She slumped against the wall, curling up with her arms around her knees. “And now I _have_ to help him get the Moonstone, or Corona is _doomed_ …”  
  
“How are we gonna explain this to _Adira_?” Lance lamented.  
  
“Maybe we’ll get lucky and she’ll take care of him for us.” Cassandra smirked. “It wouldn’t be us not cooperating if he gets taken down by a ‘bandit’.”  
  
“Are you insane?!” Hookfoot hissed. “If we let _anything_ happen to him, his psychotic Saporian cellmate will destroy ALL of us!”  
  
“He’s right.” Rapunzel sighed. “We _can’t_ let anything happen to him, Cassandra. And I wouldn’t _want_ to, anyway. He’s already suffered enough.” She looked to the side feeling ill at the thought of the scarred canvas that was the teenage boy’s back.  
  
She shuddered to think of what the rest of his body might look like.  
  
She couldn’t fault him for getting violent, she really couldn’t. He was no different than a cornered animal at that point, frightened and desperate for a way out, all his other attempts hadn’t worked. Why didn’t she go back to find him that day? Why did her father mistreat him? Was there _anything_ she could’ve done to stop the whole thing from happening? If she’d stopped the guards from throwing him out, would they still be friends?  
  
And could they ever be friends again?  
  
\--  
  
Cassandra paced the floor of the Captain’s quarters, waiting impatiently for them to be released from this prison. She knew that she shouldn’t be so impatient, this place was a luxury suite compared to the prison cell that Varian had been calling “home” for…well, ever since they left, but she was still upset about this whole situation. She wondered if they still would’ve run into them if Eugene hadn’t fallen overboard and decided, yes, they probably _would’ve_ , they just might’ve stood a better chance because they wouldn’t have a _hostage_.  
  
She sighed and walked over to look out another window, looking out at the teenager that was going to be their traveling companion very soon. Looking at him from a distance, it was hard to see him as anything but the kid that had been so eager to help out, who had cheerfully offered to be her “co-lady-in-waiting’, who had named a brand-new element after her.  
  
But, then she saw how he casually spoke with the other criminals, laughing at something they said with a sharp look in his eyes that reminded her of when he had nearly crushed her in the grip of his automaton and she glanced away, struggling to connect the two images and failing to. She just couldn’t see that sweet, clumsy, _brilliant_ genius kid as the same person as the teenager she saw before her now, who joked with criminals and swung around on rope and wore dark coats and bulky clothes to hide scars on his body.  
  
God, she felt sick just _thinking_ about those scars. Every month. _Every month_ , he’d said. How long had they been gone? Almost a year? He’d been put through that horrific treatment for _seven months_? If it was her, she doubted she’d last that long. The strength in that teenager, to run _miles_ through a blizzard to and from his home in Old Corona, to withstand being cornered by the masked men—her father and the Royal Guard—and now…now this? It was impressive, but also heartbreaking. How was he so strong? You don’t get that strong by living a life free of pain.  
  
She thought of the rumors that brought them to him, she thought of the explosion of his inventions, the people gathering around him, his father reacting like it was a frequent occurrence, Varian’s apology and silent acceptance as they abandoned him to his village’s ire, back to the safety of the Capital. Then his public humiliation at the science expo, because she’d broken her promise…Sun, she felt like such a _jerk_ when she saw his broken-hearted expression, and she’d stupidly brushed off the clear signs of him being hurt emotionally by her deciding to watch the judge instead of helping him as she promised…  
  
And then, after a halfhearted apology and another promise she would be sure to break again, she never saw him again until the blizzard, where she stood there and watched as he begged for help that was promised to him and then was dragged out into the cold, relentless blizzard that they’d just evacuated everyone into the castle to escape from. _Why did she just watch?! Why didn’t she go after him and bring him in?!_  
  
Those scars on his back were partly her fault. She’d let him down, despite all the time he’d been there for them, she’d pretended she didn’t know anything when Eugene asked her about the rumors, she’d _lied_ to save face, just like with the rocks.  
  
She brought her fist to her mouth, feeling the cold, hard truth weigh down on her. She’d _deserved_ to be crushed by the automaton that day, even just a little, for letting him be brutalized by the Kingdom. The "masked men", the rumors, the _lies_ …Did he _know_? Did he _know_ who was behind those masks? Or did he still not know the horrific truth?  
  
No, he _had_ to know. Andrew had been absolutely _venomous_ about her father when talking about what would happen if anything happened to Varian, saying he’d be the _first_ to go.  
  
“Cass?” Lance walked up to her. “You okay?”  
  
“I’m just…thinking back on what led up to this moment. To him being…out there, with them.” She admitted. “Trying to figure out what was his breaking point.”  
  
Lance looked out the window with her, watching as Varian got swooped up by Anthony the Weasel swinging by on rope and taken for a ride while Andrew told them off and went after them.  
  
“I don’t know. Wish I knew the kid before he became like this, though. I mean, before the King…wow. I knew he was hard on criminals during Princess Rapunzel’s disappearance, but…a kid?” Lance shook his head. “I don’t think I can close my eyes without seeing those scars. No kid should have _that many scars._ ”  
  
“Yeah.” Cassandra nodded, then noticed they were approaching the mainland. “Looks like we’re almost done on this ship.”  
  
“Oh, great.” Hookfoot groaned. “Which means we’ll be stuck with him in the caravan for the rest of the trip, soon. Fun.”  
  
“Oh, relax. Based on his reactions, you probably won’t have a _roommate_.” Cassandra rolled her eyes and looked over as Rapunzel stood up. “We’re gonna have to get another bed in there, Raps.”  
  
She nodded, sighing. She looked so tired, and their trip with the vengeful, bitter, and traumatized teenager had barely started. She was going to have to really try to keep the weight off her friend’s shoulders if they were going to get through this unexpected change of plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a lot to process, but...yeah, it's a lot to process.


	4. Con

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Rapunzel loses her telescope down a ravine, they encounter an old acquaintance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

They reached the mainland and Rapunzel got them safely through the docks, feeling a twinge of guilt about letting all these criminals loose on the mainland. Varian released Eugene and Maximus and then went off with Andrew and Lady Caine somewhere in the port town.  
  
“Right…let’s go see about finding him a bed.” Eugene said, rubbing at his wrists. “Even though, for the record, I am _completely_ against him rooming with Rapunzel and am only putting up with it because Cassandra would kill him if he tried anything.”  
  
“Eugene!” Rapunzel looked at him. “Varian isn’t going to hurt me!”  
  
“And I _can’t_ kill him.” Cassandra frowned. “Corona would be _destroyed_ if I _did_.”  
  
“Well, you can _at least_ keep him from trying anything.” Eugene sighed heavily.  
  
“Bed.” Rapunzel walked off. “You know, so he doesn’t have to _share_ with anyone.”  
  
After a quick trip to the market, where they stocked up on food, got a new bed (and bedding) and repaired the caravan’s wheel after a mishap with Hookfoot’s hook damaged it earlier, they were ready to go. Well, as soon as the newest and youngest member of their traveling party showed up.  
  
When he finally did, he’d gotten a change of clothes that actually properly fit him. He wore a brown vest over a white blouse and tan pants that tucked into black boots and his usual black gloves were on his hands. He carried a bag that no doubt held his other clothes and was wearing a new apron around his waist and his goggles were on his head. His hair, which had grown to his shoulders in Rapunzel’s absence, was tied back in a ponytail. Ruddiger was wrapped around his shoulders, content in his place, and Lady Caine and Andrew both had small boxes in their arms as they walked next to him.  
  
“Alright, then.” Andrew said as they approached them. “Let’s get him loaded up."  
  
“What’s in the boxes?” Cassandra asked suspiciously.  
  
Varian raised an eyebrow. “What good is an alchemist without his tools? Plus, I didn’t exactly _pack_ anything before I went on the prison barge.”  
  
“It’s okay.” Rapunzel smiled. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s fine. Let me help you get these in the caravan.” She walked over and opened the door to the girls’ (and Varian’s) side.  
  
Varian smirked and they walked over to put in his things. Varian stepped inside and looked around at the place fully before he walked over and sat on the bed, looking surprised.  
  
“What’s the matter?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“It’s just…it’s _soft_.” He glanced away.  
  
Andrew and Lady Caine walked over to sit with him. “You gonna be okay?” Andrew smiled.  
  
Varian nodded. “I’ll be fine.” He got up. “Well, uhm…I guess all that’s left is the goodbyes.”  
  
“Come on, the others are waiting.” Lady Caine rubbed his head and then they all left the caravan together.  
  
Rapunzel sighed and looked at the bed they’d just left, briefly thinking of the cot that he’d been sleeping on and feeling guilty about leaving him to that fate. She sighed and then stepped outside to watch him say goodbye to the people he’d been living with for seven months, or however long they were on the ship together, while her group all went into the caravan, Eugene taking the reins.  
  
Finally, he left the crowd of criminals and walked over to join them and they saw Cleo fly over and land on top of the caravan to land next to Owl, who gave her a stink-eye.  
  
“Alright. That’s that, then.” Rapunzel nodded. “Next stop, anywhere.” She went into the caravan with Cassandra and Varian went in last, walking over to sit on his cot while Cassandra shut the door. Then they were leaving, and Varian watched out the window until they left the little port-town. Then he sighed and got up to open one of the boxes, pulling out a book and sitting down on his cot to read it.  
  
Rapunzel walked over to him. “…Is that a Flynn Rider book?”  
  
“Mmhm.” He replied distractedly.  
  
“I’m surprised you still like him, after…” Cassandra jabbed a thumb towards where Eugene was driving the caravan.  
  
“Eugene Fitzherbert is _not_ Flynn Rider, he’s just an imitator.” Varian raised an eyebrow and looked up at her. “Will you let me read in peace? I haven’t been able to read _anything_ for seven months.”  
  
“Okay, okay.” Cassandra said as Rapunzel got up and went over to sit on her cot. “No need to get snappy.”  
  
Varian just ignored her, going back to his reading.  
  
“So…” Cassandra glanced at him, “they don’t let you read books in the dungeon, but they let you keep dyeing your hair?”  
  
“’Dyeing’, _what_?” He looked up at her, confused, then blinked as it dawned on him what she meant. “Oh.” He shook his head, chuckling a bit as he reached up to tug at the teal stripe in his hair. “No, uh…this? This is…I was _born_ with this.” He let go of it. “Can’t dye it out, can’t _cut_ it out, it just keeps growing back like the rest of my hair.” He went back to his reading.  
  
“…Weird.” Cassandra frowned.  
  
He scoffed. “Yeah, well, try _living_ with it for fifteen years.”  
  
Rapunzel sighed and pulled out her journal to start drawing in it, deciding not to get involved. It was curiously, though, that he had such unusual hair, but she guessed talking about it would only upset him.  
  
And the last thing they wanted was for him to have some excuse for him to send a message to Andrew and get the wrath of the Saporian Separatists on Corona.  
  
She pulled out the pieces of the scroll and her brow furrowed before she realized something and looked over at Varian. He’d translated a piece of this _before_ …maybe he could…but, did they want to risk him knowing whatever this scroll held? But, without him, _she_ may never know…  
  
She put it away discreetly, since he didn’t seem to have noticed it out yet. She’d try to make him more of an ally before she trusted him with such things.  
  
\--  
  
“Lombard’s Pass. Looks rough.” Rapunzel said, looking through her spyglass. “But, if anyone can cross it, it’s us!” She turned her spyglass. “Though, those swaying towers of rocks at the end there, oohhh, could be a bit of a challenge.”  
  
“I might be able to use alchemy to secure them.” Varian said, and she squeaked in alarm before looking at the window next to Cassandra, where he’d poked his head out. “You’ve been doing that every time you get reminded I’m here.” He remarked, looking amused. “You and that guy with the hook.”  
  
“It’s just…hehe…hard to get used to.” She admitted.  
  
It had been two days since they’d set off and so far, instead of them dealing with his nightmares, Varian had just stubbornly refused to sleep and instead went outside and set up his alchemy equipment to work on it while everyone slept. Eugene and Cassandra had been taking shifts keeping an eye on him, both because they didn’t trust him and it would _suck_ if he got attacked by a wolf or something and Andrew destroyed Corona in retaliation of them not keeping him from dying.  
  
The caravan knocked a bit of the ground loose and she swallowed nervously. “So, the road is a little, um…how do I put this?”  
  
“Horrifying?” Hookfoot poked his head out of one of the skylights.  
  
“Stomach churning?” Lance said, poking his head out of the other one.  
  
“Is there really _no_ other way to get there?” Varian asked, looking at her.  
  
“Erm, well, we’re kind of following the rocks, so…I mean, we don’t know the way without them.” Rapunzel admitted. “Besides, we’re talking about crossing Lombard’s Pass! It’s going to feel _so_ rewarding after we do.”  
  
“Yeah, well, _some_ of us haven’t had a full night’s sleep.” Cassandra glanced at Varian. “So, this _might_ be even more difficult than you’d expect. Besides, I don’t know if we can do this.”  
  
Varian sighed heavily. “You’re used to city roads, of _course_ you don’t know how to safely traverse something like this.”  
  
“Oh, like _you_ could do any better?” Cassandra challenged.  
  
Varian raised an eyebrow. “Stop the caravan and move over.”  
  
“Uh, no, no way.” Eugene said as Cassandra did just that. “Cassandra, what are you _doing_?”  
  
“If he’s going to talk the talk, he’s gonna walk the walk.” Cassandra said, getting off the driver’s seat and getting in to lean outside the window. “Well, kid?”  
  
“Hold on.” He rolled his eyes and walked over to speak quietly to the horses.  
  
“What is he doing?” Eugene asked. Rapunzel shrugged.  
  
Varian nodded, took Ruddiger off his shoulders, then walked over to climb up and take the reins. “Right. Ruddiger, go ahead of us and secure the towers with goo.”  
  
The raccoon nodded and ran inside, then ran out with a backpack, heading down the road. Varian nodded, then gripped the reins. “Alright, just like I instructed.” He told the horses, and they moved closer to the middle of the road. “There we go. Slow and steady, no need to rush on this road.”  
  
Cassandra fumed a bit. “Why do they listen to you just like that? They don’t know you.”  
  
“They don’t have to know me; they just need to know I’m willing to explain what’s going on.” Varian said calmly.  
  
Rapunzel smiled a bit. “You’re good with animals, huh?”  
  
“I’ve always related more to animals than people.” He shrugged.  
  
The cart jolted and Rapunzel gasped and nearly dropped her spyglass. “Whoa, that was close!”  
  
“Can’t do much about the wheels though. Here’s an idea: Keep everything that isn’t strapped to your person _inside the caravan_.” Varian advised.  
  
“Sorry...” Rapunzel slowly reached to hand it over to Cassandra, but another jolt knocked it out of her hand and then it got knocked over the cliffside. “Oh no! Stop, stop!”  
  
Varian sighed and tugged on the reins gently and the horses stopped. “It’s just a spyglass, Princess.”  
  
“I-I know, but it was a present from my parents for this trip!” Rapunzel said, looking over the edge. “We have to go and find it!”  
  
He stared at her blankly, then looked over at the towers that Ruddiger was going to secure with goo. “At the speed he’s running, it’ll take an hour to get over there, and then it’s thirteen hours until the goo wears off. This better be quick.”  
  
“Right, so, we need to split up. Eugene, Hookfoot, you’re with me.” Rapunzel got down from the caravan.  
  
“We’ll search as long as it takes, Princess,” Hookfoot assured her, “even if it means that we never, ever, cross Lombard’s Pass. Ever.”  
  
“Well, _hey,_ we could end the trip for you right now and throw you off the cliff!” Varian said cheerfully. “You won’t have to cross it then!”  
  
Hookfoot shrank back and disappeared into the caravan.  
  
“You know, look, I hate to say this, Blondie, but maybe we should just move on.” Eugene said. “You know? The telescope was a nice gift, but Lombard’s Pass is going to take us _hours_ to—”  
  
“She just dropped down behind you.” Varian said flatly.  
  
Eugene groaned. “Well, so much for stopping her. Guess we’re…how fast can your raccoon _run_?” He looked over at the towers.  
  
“Pretty dang fast.” Varian grinned. “Especially when he has a mission.”  
  
\--  
  
Turns out, one of the things Varian had bought in the port-town was a long rope, and he secured it to a black rock up on the road, then tied another rope to that one and then let it dangle down to where Rapunzel was looking around. “Right.” He tugged on it. “Should hold. Who feels confident about their cliff-climbing?”  
  
“Okay, how _often_ have you done this kind of thing?” Eugene asked.  
  
“I was raised in the country, Eugene.” He said as he started to climb down the rope. “We used to have all kind of competitions, like who could climb the Wall of Corona fastest, or who could climb to the top of the tallest tree. I wasn’t really the best at it, but I’m experienced.”  
  
“Okay, another question.” Eugene said as he climbed down after him. “How did you manage to get through the deadliest blizzard in centuries from Old Corona to the Capital island?”  
  
“Uhm, probably a mixture of desperation, adrenaline, and experience traversing the snowy winds during the winter.” Varian shrugged. “And then, on the way back, it was betrayed rage, grief, and, you know, desperation again. And also my slowly building hate for the royal family.”  
  
Eugene sighed. “…I don’t think we ever actually talked about—”  
  
“Can we talk about it later?” Varian climbed down off the rope. “We have to find a spyglass.”  
  
“Right, yeah. The telescope.” He sighed, stepping off the rope. “You know, it’s really special to her.”  
  
“Yeah, I know, it’s from her parents.” He rolled his eyes, then looked around to see Rapunzel looking around on the ground. “Honestly, I wouldn’t normally care, but I don’t want to hear her crying about it.”  
  
Rapunzel suddenly looked up. “Eugene, do you hear those chimes?!”  
  
“Chimes?” Eugene’s brow furrowed.  
  
“Yeah, the—Wait, Varian? I thought Hookfoot was coming down.” Rapunzel said with surprise.  
  
“He didn’t want to come out after I threatened to throw him off the cliff.” Varian shrugged.  
  
“You _really_ need to stop threatening his life, this is the third time you’ve done it since we left port.” Eugene pointed out.  
  
Varian shrugged. “Maybe he should keep his mouth shut if he has nothing of use to say, then.”  
  
“Well, uhm, let’s go.” Rapunzel walked off to investigate the chimes.  
  
She stopped and pushed aside some tall grass to look at a fancy caravan. “Eugene, look!” She got up and ran to go to it. “Vigor! Madame Canardist!”  
  
“’Madam Con Artist’?” Varian raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Yep.” Eugene nodded and they headed down to join Rapunzel.  
  
“I am so surprised to see you two!” Rapunzel said as they reached the woman and her monkey.  
  
“But we are, obviously, not surprised to see _you_.” Madame Carnadist said with delight.  
  
Varian looked over at the sign. “’Vigor the Visionary’. Oh, _you’re_ that hack of a fortune teller I’ve heard about.” He said casually, and Eugene laughed a bit.  
  
“’Hack’?” The woman looked offended.  
  
“Ack, get off! Get off!” Eugene protested as Vigor jumped onto him.  
  
“No, Varian, he’s the real thing!” Rapunzel assured him. “He once gave me a fortune that said, ‘when someone falls, pick them up’, and I—”  
  
“Knew to do something that you would’ve done _anyway_?” Varian raised an eyebrow, then glanced to the side. “Oh, hey.” He walked over and grabbed Rapunzel’s telescope from on top of a table.  
  
Madam Canardist sputtered. “Excuse me, you’re—”  
  
“Picking up a dropped item that belongs to the Princess. Are you really going to try to argue with returning it? Because, let me tell you, Corona doesn’t look kindly on thieves, especially from royalty.” Varian said, handing it to Rapunzel. “You know, speaking from experience.”  
  
“You are _very_ rude.” She frowned at him.  
  
“And _you’re_ a waste of time, are we done stating the obvious?” Varian rolled his eyes.  
  
“Varian, come on, be nice.” Rapunzel pleaded.  
  
“Tell you what, I’ll believe her if she can tell me something that only a _real_ fortune teller would know.” Varian smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
She frowned, walking up to him and looking him over. “You…have been a very bad child.”  
  
“Wow, you’ve seen my wanted poster. Try again, I’ll give you three chances.” Varian said flatly.  
  
Vigor suddenly jumped on his shoulder and Eugene breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank god, he’s off me.”  
  
“Hey, get off my hair!” Varian struggled to get the monkey off as it gnawed at the stripe in his hair.  
  
“Hmph, that’s what you get for being a skep—hm?” Madame Canardist gasped as a LARGE blur of gray slammed into her and knocked her over.  
  
“Ruddiger!” Varian got the monkey off and ran to the raccoon pinning the woman down. “Stand down, Ruddiger!”  
  
“Madame Canardist!” Rapunzel cried in alarm.  
  
“…Okay, so the raccoon is big now.” Eugene said, his eyes wide in disbelief.  
  
“Yeah, he’s been doing this ever since I mutated him the first time, every time he gets really angry.” Varian said, coaxing the raccoon off the terrified woman.  
  
The monkey stared up at him and he stroked Ruddiger’s fur. “He probably assumed the monkey was sent to attack me.” He said as the woman gathered Vigor up in her arms.  
  
“Madame Canardist, are you okay?!” Rapunzel asked in concern.  
  
“Fine! Take the telescope!” She said, setting Vigor down on a table. He started snarling aggressively and Ruddiger growled back. “What’s that, Vigor?” She looked at him. “He is very unhappy you upset me, and he is going to cast a _most_ malignant curse on you!” She declared.  
  
Varian scoffed and stroked Ruddiger’s fur. “Bring it on, then. I roomed with a _Saporian_ for most of a year, I don’t fear curses. That is, _if_ it’s a real curse.”  
  
“What does _that_ have to do with anything?” Eugene asked as the woman moved her hand to Vigor’s mouth and started to move it with his gnashing and snarling.  
  
“Magic and Alchemy is pretty much what Saporians are most known for. Or, they _were_ , before Corona took them down and erased everything about them from Coronan history.” Varian looked at him.  
  
“Oh. Huh.” Eugene shrugged.  
  
“Vigor says,” the woman stood on the table, “may there be _no_ success and _no_ luck in your life, until the telescope is returned to me!”  
  
“Okay, then.” Varian pulled out a goo bomb. “Here’s _my_ counter. Remove the ‘curse’, or I trap you to this spot for the next thirteen hours and let my raccoon destroy your caravan while you watch.”  
  
She faltered, eyeing the beast next to the teenager, then got down and spoke quietly to Vigor. Varian tossed the goo bomb up and down in his hand threateningly while Ruddiger pawed at the ground in a similar way.  
  
“Good _Gravy_ , he’s kind of nuts.” Eugene whispered to Rapunzel.  
  
“Very well,” she finally said reluctantly, “you make a good counter. Vigor will remove the curse, and you will leave us in peace.”  
  
“Good doing ‘business’ with you.” Varian said, putting his goo bomb away while Vigor did some kind of movement that was probably supposed to be him dispelling the curse.  
  
“There.” She said when Vigor was done. “The curse is dispelled. Now, leave us!” She picked him up and went into the caravan.  
  
“Wow.” Eugene shook his head. “That was…uh…”  
  
“You’re welcome. Now, let’s go.” He climbed up onto Ruddiger and looked at them. “Are you coming up, or are you going the long way?”  
  
Rapunzel looked at her telescope, then climbed up onto Ruddiger behind Varian, Eugene climbing on behind her. “This is _safe_ , right?”  
  
“Probably. I mean, I’ve only done it once before, when we broke out of my cell on the ship.” Varian shrugged. “Just hang on.”  
  
“I hope we don’t regret this.” Eugene said nervously as he wrapped his arms around Rapunzel’s waist, Rapunzel wrapping her arms around Varian’s.  
  
“Oh, you might.” Varian gripped Ruddiger’s fur. “Hang on tight with your legs. Ruddiger, when you’re ready.”  
  
Ruddiger pawed at the ground and then they took off at a run. Eugene screamed the entire time that Ruddiger was bounding from rock to rock and then using his claws to get up the cliff while they all hung on. Only once they got to the top did he stop screaming, and he fell onto the ground and curled up into a fetal position.  
  
“That was…fun!” Rapunzel said as she got down off of Ruddiger’s back. “Uhm, and fast!”  
  
Varian stroked his pet’s fur fondly, then got down and went to kneel next to Eugene. “You gonna live?”  
  
“No, I think my soul left my body.” Eugene said, still curled up.  
  
“Hehe.” Varian got up and went to take the reins, Rapunzel getting on next to him.  
  
Ruddiger went back to normal and licked Eugene’s cheek before he scampered over and climbed up to settle around Varian’s shoulders.  
  
Eugene slowly got up. “I’m gonna…uhm…go inside.” He walked over and went in, shutting the door.  
  
Cassandra came out and sat with Rapunzel and Varian. “…Did you just ride his giant raccoon up here?”  
  
“Yep.” Rapunzel said, as Varian seemed to remember something and got down to pull up the rope and recoil it, taking it back into his room before he came back out to take the reins again. “So…onward?”  
  
“Onward we ride.” He said, and the horses continued on the walk though Lombard’s Pass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mess with the alchemist!


	5. Hamlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group takes a quick stop at the hamlet of Pincosta. Or...around there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

“The hamlet of Pincosta.” Rapunzel said as they looked towards a large city. “Known for its warm smiles, hearty handshakes and world-famous Pincostan Pecan Pie!”  
  
“Mmm, and _also_ its severely-strict justice system that is _almost_ worse than Corona’s!” Varian remarked, poking his head out of the window. “No thanks, _some_ of us have Wanted posters, Princess, even the reformed of us.”  
  
“Oh, come on.” Rapunzel looked at him with a pout.  
  
“ _Here’s_ an idea. Why don’t _I_ stay out of town with the famous _Flynn Rider_ and _Lance Strongbow_ and _you_ guys can all go in and pick up some of that famous pie or whatever _else_ you want to do?” Varian said in his threateningly-cheerful way.  
  
Lance cleared his throat from inside where he was playing cards with Varian. “He’s got a point, Princess, Eugene and I still have, uh, _records_ in some places.”  
  
Eugene sighed. “I hate to _agree_ with the little terrorist, but he’s right. I’m pretty sure I’ve been to Pincosta before and, you know, did a ‘job’. Can’t remember what it _was_ , but I _know_ I _did_ one.”  
  
“Wasn’t it the Eye of Pincosta? You stole it with your partner in crime at-the-time, the Baroness Staylan.” Varian said casually. Eugene stared at him blankly. “What? I was a _fan_ , remember? I thought you were the guy in the book. I learned everything _possible_ about you from people visiting Corona.”  
  
“Ugh, _Stalyan_.” Rapunzel rolled her eyes. “Wait, you _memorized_ stuff about Eugene?”  
  
“Weird topic to obsess over.” Cassandra remarked.  
  
“ _Flynn Rider_ , Princess. As for Eugene Fitzherbert, I don’t know much about him aside from him being your boyfriend that was posing as Flynn Rider for years. So, I guess I _did_ memorize stuff about ‘Eugene’, up to the point that he gave up his persona.” Varian went back to his game of cards.  
  
“ _Man_ , you needed a _hobby_.” Hookfoot commented from his spot in the skylight on the other side of him.  
  
“Studying Flynn Rider _was_ my hobby.” Varian replied.  
  
“So…scenic route?” Eugene suggested.  
  
“We _have_ to go in, Eugene.” Rapunzel sighed. “We need to get _food_.”  
  
“So, we’ll do what the kid suggested and us Wanted criminals will stay out here with the caravan while you guys go do that.” Eugene nodded. “Yes, that’s the best plan. That way, I avoid Pincosta _entirely_. Besides, we’ve _got_ food!” He pulled out a bag. “Look how full this thing is!” He paused, realizing it was moving like something was breathing inside of it. “Shorty’s in here, isn’t he?”  
  
“Just five more minutes, mom…” Shorty said.  
  
“Darn, I thought we left him at that lake.” Varian commented.  
  
Rapunzel sighed. “Alright…we’ll go with Varian’s plan. Cass, Hookfoot, Shorty and I will go into the hamlet to get food and you three will stay out here and…I guess, bond?”  
  
“Right! We’ll be waiting out here!” Eugene declared.  
  
\--  
  
In retrospect, Eugene thought, he had underestimated how unnerving it would be to be alone with Lance and Varian, the former of which was apparently testing Varian’s knowledge of Eugene’s criminal life.  
  
“Okay, okay, so how about this one?” Lance started.  
  
“Lance, I think that’s enough.” Eugene cleared his throat. “Is anyone else thirsty? I’m pretty thirsty. Hey, isn’t The Glass Sipper near here? Why don’t we go get a drink?”  
  
“The Glass Sipper? Eugene, _he’s fifteen_.” Lance frowned.  
  
“So, we’ll get him something non-alcoholic.” Eugene got up. “I don’t know about _you_ , but _I_ would like to get out of wide-open view close to a town that wants to lock me up.”  
  
Varian shifted Ruddiger off his lap and onto his shoulders before he got up. “Okay.”  
  
“See? He’s all for it.” Eugene clapped his hand on Varian’s shoulder, earning a flinch and a dirty look. “Er, right. Sorry. Still healing.”   
  
Varian moved away from him a bit as Ruddiger let out a warning growl. “Yeah.”  
  
“Hey, speaking of healing, you might heal _faster_ if you actually _slept_.” Eugene pointed out. “It’s been almost a _week_!”  
  
“I don’t _want_ to.” Varian shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “If I sleep, I’ll find myself back…back _there_.”  
  
Eugene’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t gotten a look at the scars himself, but he’d been told the story. Apparently, King Frederic had been having Varian _whipped_ once a month, _every_ month, since they left him in the tender, loving care of the Corona Justice System. He’d seen for _himself_ how malicious the King could be at times, but he’d never thought that he would…hurt a _child_.  
  
Lance got up and walked over to gently rub Varian’s head. “Hey, it’s okay. If you start to have a nightmare, one of us will wake you up. We all have bad times. Like, Rapunzel has nightmares, too, of when she was in the tower, and Eugene sometimes has nightmares of the day he died, and I sometimes get nightmares about, uh…well, spiders. Heh. So, there’s no shame in having nightmares, okay? We all cope in different ways, but this…’staying up to avoid the nightmares’ thing you’re doing _isn’t_ a good way to cope.”  
  
“I’ve just…it’ll be my first time in _months_ sleeping without Andrew.” Varian said softly. “He’s always been the light in my darkness, the one good thing in that wretched place…the _only_ good thing Frederic did for me was give me Andrew as a cellmate.”  
  
Lance sighed, then nodded. “Why don’t we change your bandages before we go to the Glass Sipper, hm?”  
  
Varian nodded and they went into the caravan together.  
  
Eugene sighed. Lance had always been better with kids than Eugene. He looked towards Pincosta and shivered before he went into the caravan to wait for them.  
  
He closed the door behind him and stopped as he saw Varian removing his shirt and carefully setting it to the side before sitting down on his cot, facing the wall. Lance brought over the medic kit and carefully started to remove the bandages. Eugene sucked in a breath as the scars were revealed and he felt sick at the thought of what he had gone through. He was just a _kid_ , why would…?  
  
“The stitches seem to be holding.” Lance said as he checked them over. “You should be able to take them out soon, though, the wound is, well…it’s not bleeding anymore. It’s…’healing’.”  
  
“More scars.” Varian said softly.  
  
Lance nodded, then got out new bandages and gently wrapped him up, covering up the scars again. “You know, you could probably get some cool tattoo to cover these up.”  
  
“Hm.” Varian didn’t sound too interested.  
  
He finished wrapping him up, then got up so Varian could put his shirt and vest back on. Then he grabbed his backpack and put it on and Ruddiger climbed onto his shoulders and nuzzled him. “Well, let’s go.” He got up and walked past Eugene.  
  
“Yeah.” Eugene nodded. “I _really_ need a drink now.”  
  
\--  
  
They got Varian a cloak, just in case, left a message saying where they went, and set off The Glass Sipper. Eugene had been here before, and knew that this place wouldn’t have any cheerful, singing ruffians charmed by a lost princess’s pure dream. No, these people were like the Stabbingtons, which he was guessing meant that Varian would probably be right at home here after how he was when he was on the prison barge.  
  
Actually, thinking about it, the likelihood of him running into one of the prison barge group here was pretty high. Eugene hoped he wouldn’t.  
  
“Right…here we are.” He said as he opened the door. “The Glass Sipper.”  
  
They stepped inside and eyes turned to them curiously. Eugene cringed a bit and wished _he_ was the one wearing the cloak, especially since Varian took off his hood and walked in without a care.  
  
“Aren’t you a little young to be in here?” The bartender asked him.  
  
“Hey, old enough to kidnap a queen, old enough to be in the bar.” Varian shrugged.  
  
“Wait…that stripe in your hair…” The man squinted at him, then reached under the bar to pull something out. “You look older in your Wanted poster.”  
  
“I know, right? I could probably draw a more accurate one.” Varian rolled his eyes.  
  
Eugene and Lance walked over to join him, catching the bartender’s attention. “Well, well.” The bartender hummed. “If it isn’t the great Flynn Rider himself.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah.” He took a seat at the bar. “Just give me something strong. I’ve had a rough week.”  
  
“By ‘a rough week’, he means he’s been having to deal with _me_.” Varian smirked at the man, who laughed.  
  
“So, what brings you so far from Corona?” He asked, pouring them both a drink. Lance looked around, then jolted in alarm.  
  
“We’re heading for the Dark Kingdom.” Varian replied. “Know anything about it?”  
  
“Just that it’s been dead for two decades. They say it’s guarded by the last King, who went mad with grief when a plague swept the land and left him the only survivor.” The bartender said as he passed them their drinks. “Why you heading there?”  
  
“My father is trapped in a strange, unbreakable substance. I heard that the Dark Kingdom may have the answers on how to free him.” Varian said grimly.  
  
“Sounds rough. Good luck to you.” The bartender nodded.  
  
“Yeah, we—Lance, why are you tapping my shoulder?” Eugene looked at him, then looked at where he was pointing. “Oh no.”  
  
Varian looked over to see a red-haired woman dressed in black playing darts. “’Oh no’?” He smirked at Eugene.  
  
“My day just got worse.” Eugene looked back at his drink. “Maybe if I ignore her, she won’t notice I’m here.”  
  
Varian hummed thoughtfully, then got up and walked over to her. “Hey, can I play a round?”  
  
“What?” She looked at him, surprised. “Wait, are you even old enough to be in here?”  
  
“Meh, old enough to kidnap a queen, old enough to go in the bar.” He shrugged. “Don’t worry, I’m not drinking any of the ‘adult drinks’.” He held out a hand. “I’m Varian!”  
  
“Stalyan.” She smiled and shook his hand. “Are you alone here, Varian?”  
  
“Nah, I’m with them.” He jabbed a thumb towards Eugene and Lance.  
  
She looked over at them and raised an eyebrow. “Wooooow, small world. But, you weren’t with them before?” She looked at him.  
  
“Oh, I just joined them, fresh off the prison barge.” He said casually.  
  
“Really?” She chuckled. “Tell me more.” She offered him a dart.  
  
He took the dart and looked at it thoughtfully, then shifted his position, looking towards the board. “Yeah, I took over the barge with Lady Caine, but then Eugene came onboard by accident after falling overboard from the ferry they were on, you know, like an idiot.”  
  
She laughed and Eugene sputtered at him.  
  
“Anyways, we made an arrangement with the Princess. We wouldn’t kill him and destroy Corona, if she gave us safe passage and took me along on their little quest.” He threw the dart and it landed dead-center. “Obviously, you can tell what they chose.”  
  
“Heh, nice.” She glanced at him. “You’re an alchemist, right?”  
  
“Obviously.” He nodded, picking up another dart.  
  
“I’m wondering if you can help me with something. See, my dad is…really sick. He’s dying, and I need help with a cure.” She looked at him fully. “Can you help?”  
  
His brow furrowed, thinking. Eugene didn’t know if he wanted to know what was going through the kid’s head right now. No, actually, he kind of _did_ want to know. Because it might affect _him_.  
  
“Yeah.” Varian nodded. “I’ll meet with your father.”  
  
“Uh, wait, what?” Eugene frowned.  
  
“Right.” She nodded. “Can you come back here tomorrow? There’s a back room here.” He nodded towards it.  
  
“Alright.” Varian smiled.  
  
She nodded, then offered him another dart. He picked it up, then tossed it, letting it hit the dartboard. “It’s a date.” She grinned at him.  
  
\--  
  
“So, _now_ we have to explain to Rapunzel that we’re going to stay in this area a bit longer because _you_ arranged with _my ex_ to cure her _father_ that _tried to kill us_.” Eugene groaned. “ _Why_ did you agree?!”  
  
“Because it will give me a powerful ally in the future.” Varian replied. “The Baron is one of the most influential crime lords in the Seven Kingdoms. Even without crime being involved, if I save his life, he owes me big-time and will be a decent resource. He can get me difficult-to-acquire ingredients for my alchemy, for example.”  
  
“Well, hey, “ Lance suggested, “maybe this can mend your relationship with Stalyan enough for her to return the Eye of Pincosta and you can get that off your record.”  
  
Eugene sighed heavily and ran his hands over his face. “I’d _rather_ we just leave this area entirely.”  
  
“Well, it’s a good thing it’s not _up_ to you, isn’t it?” Varian asked cheerfully. “Don’t forget, as long as things go _my_ way, Corona is safe. That caravan doesn’t go _anywhere_ unless I say so.”   
  
He walked back to it, humming cheerfully. Lance cringed. “I almost forgot that he’s still a villain.” He said quietly.  
  
Eugene sighed. “Yeah.”  
  
\--  
  
Rapunzel and the others came back to find Eugene with his head in his hands, Lance looking nervous and Varian casually working on his alchemy outside. “Okaaaaay.” Rapunzel said, walking over to them. “What happened while we were gone?”  
  
“What happened? What _happened_? Uh, gee, Varian, _what happened_?!” Eugene looked at him with exasperation.  
  
“There’s no need to get so snappy about it.” Varian rolled his eyes. “We went to the Glass Sipper nearby and ran into his ex-girlfriend Staylan. She asked me to help with finding a cure for some sickness that her father has and I agreed. So, I’m going to meet with them in the back room of The Glass Sipper tomorrow.”  
  
“What? We need to get going!” Cassandra frowned.  
  
“Too bad, I already made the arrangement.” Varian shrugged, looking back at his alchemy.  
  
“No way, you’re going to have to miss your date with the heiress.” Cassandra shook her head.  
  
“Rapunzel, do you remember the terms of our arrangement?” He glanced at her. “As long as I have your _full cooperation_ , Corona is safe.”  
  
Rapunzel sighed. “He’s right. We’re not going anywhere.” She went to put their purchases away.  
  
Cassandra walked in with Rapunzel. “I know he’s been through hell…but it’s _really_ hard to not hate him…”  
  
“Come on, Cass. He’s been hurt, we need to help him heal.” Rapunzel sighed. “It’s the least we can do for him, after letting him be thrown out into the blizzard…”  
  
“He’s gonna hold that over our heads forever, isn’t he?” Cassandra sighed.  
  
“Just until he gets the Moonstone, probably.” Rapunzel looked out the window at the teenager, who was back to doing his alchemy and ignoring the world again.  
  
“What do you think he’ll do with it, after he frees his dad?” Cassandra frowned. “Do you think he’ll just hand it over?”  
  
Rapunzel sighed. “…You don’t think he will?”  
  
“I think you’re going to have to really get him to warm up to you.” Cassandra sighed.  
  
Rapunzel sighed. “Yeah…”  
  
\--  
  
That night, Rapunzel decided to take a chance, against Eugene’s advice, and suggested Varian take a turn with cooking dinner.  
  
“You know,” Varian chuckled, “I _am_ capable of cooking food without a truth serum in it. I have no reason to drug any of you right now, and I’m actually a pretty good chef.”  
  
“Which is more than _Fitzherbert_ can say.” Cassandra smirked at him.  
  
“Hey, I’m good at cooking!” Eugene frowned.  
  
“Uh, since _when_? You burn _eggs_.” She said tauntingly.  
  
“Wha—I did that _onc_ e, and then _you_ kept taking the frying pan from me!” Eugene insisted.  
  
“Speaking of which, where is it?” Varian looked around.  
  
“Oh, uh, I’ll go get it.” Rapunzel went into the caravan.  
  
Varian raised eyebrow. “ _Please_ don’t tell me you cook with the same frying pan she’s been _denting_ all this time?”  
  
“Uh…” Eugene glanced at Cassandra.  
  
“I think we need to get another frying pan.” Varian sighed heavily. “Whatever, it’ll do for now.”  
  
“Here!” Rapunzel brought it over.  
  
Varian took it and looked it over, then carried it over to a basin and emptied a flask of water into it to vigorously scrub it. Rapunzel looked confused. “What’s the matter?”  
  
“He’s having issues with cooking with your weapon.” Eugene shrugged.  
  
“There.” Varian dried it off, removed his gloves, washed his hands in the basin and then went to start cooking. “I had to _clean_ it, first. Do you have _any_ idea the kind of food poisoning that can come of germs from the human body being mixed into your food? It’s why we have to wash our hands before cooking. Besides, you don’t know where the people you hit with this thing have been!”  
  
“We’re getting lectured.” Lance chuckled.  
  
“They could have some kind of _disease_ and you would carry it and put it in your food when you next cook! If you’re going to keep hitting people with frying pans, Princess, I _must_ insist you get another frying that will be _exclusively_ for cooking.” Varian finished his lecture and focused on cooking.  
  
“Okay.” Rapunzel giggled. “I guess I’ll go do some more shopping while you’re doing your thing with Stalyan tomorrow, then!”  
  
“Thank you.” Varian nodded firmly.  
  
“So, let me guess, you have some ‘born in the country’ or ‘I was left on my own’ reason for being good at cooking?” Eugene asked.  
  
“Uh, no, I just learned to cook because sometimes dad is tired and I need to make dinner.” Varian shrugged.  
  
“I know you can apparently bake a good cookie, but this will be the first time I’ve ever tried any of your food.” Lance admitted.  
  
Varian smirked. “Well, then let me finish cooking and you can have an enjoyable meal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can Varian cure the Baron and gain himself a powerful ally?


	6. Cure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Varian treats The Baron, Stalyan and Rapunzel go to find the Eye of Pincosta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

The next morning, Rapunzel returned to the hamlet to get a new frying pan _exclusively_ for cooking, and Eugene and Lance accompanied Varian to the Glass Sipper.  
  
“Maybe I’m just being paranoid, but…I’m worried.” Rapunzel said as she picked out a frying pan. “I don’t like Eugene being so close to you-know-who, what if she tries to, you know, _flirt_?”  
  
“Oh, the horror. Trust me, Raps, it’ll be fine.” Cassandra assured her. “Besides, she’ll be focused on _the guy helping her dad_ , I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”  
  
“Maybe you’re right…” She walked over to pay for it. “I’m just…I’m worried.”  
  
\--  
  
“This certainly looks bad.” Varian said as he looked at the large man laying in a hammock before him. “I can do this two ways, I can either get a sample of venom from the spider that bit him, or I can take a sample of his blood. Both will take hours, I’m going to have to have the caravan brought over here so I can have my equipment close by.”  
  
“Well, we don’t have the spider anymore.” Stalyan sighed heavily. “So, you’ll have to work with his blood.”  
  
“Alright. Eugene, can you go get the caravan? Leave Hookfoot to tell the other where you took it, he’s competent enough for this. Better than the drunk.” Varian looked at him.  
  
“Right.” Eugene nodded and headed out.  
  
“I guess I’m just…going to stay and wait with you?” Lance said awkwardly.  
  
“I need water, warm.” Varian said firmly. “And a rag.”  
  
“I’ll get that.” Lance hurried out of the room.  
  
“What do you need _that_ for?” She asked.  
  
“To ease the boils.” He explained, reaching into his backpack and pulling out a black scarf, which he tied over his face. “Not as good as my welding mask, but it’ll have to do.” He offered her another one and she accepted it, tying it on over her face. Then he took off his apron and pulled out another one that covered more of his front, shoving the other one in the bag before he tied on the new one. “It’ll help with the pain.” He assured her, a smile in his eyes.  
  
Lance came back in a bit later with the bucket of warm water and a rag. Varian unbuttoned the man’s shirt to get to more of his skin and cringed. “How far does it go?” He looked at Stalyan.  
  
“I haven’t fully checked.” She admitted.  
  
“Alright.” He placed his hand on the large man’s. “Mister Baron, sir, we’re going to need you to help me out by stripping down to your underthings.” He looked at Lance. “ _Where_ is Eugene? Did you see him yet?”  
  
“I-I’ll go check again.” Lance ran out of the room as Staylan and Varian helped The Baron remove his clothes.  
  
“What is _taking_ him so long?” Varian muttered, then went to the bucket and soaked the rag with the warm water before wringing it out just enough to not be dripping. Then he walked over and started to gently apply the warm water to the boils.  
  
Staylan walked out to get another rag and came back in to soak it and help him with the boils. “Thanks. You really didn’t have to do anything but the antidote. I confess, I don’t know much about…this kind of stuff.”  
  
Lance stepped into the room, looking nervous. “Uh, Varian? There’s been a development. The caravan is here, but…”  
  
Rapunzel stepped into the back room with them. “Staylan? We need to talk. Now.”  
  
Varian looked up at her and nodded, then looked at Lance. “Help me with this.” He nodded to the rag in Stalyan’s hand.  
  
Lance walked over and accepted it as Stalyan took the mask off her face and tied it around Lance’s. “What do you need, _Your Highness_?” She asked mockingly.  
  
“I need you to tell me where you put the Eye of Pincosta.” Rapunzel said firmly. “Eugene was arrested by the guards outside the city and—” She was cut off by Varian laughing like a madman.  
  
“Are you KIDDING me?!” He laughed harder. “All those careful steps he took to avoid being arrested, and he _still_ ended up caught by the guards!” He chuckled. “Ah, that’s rich. Thanks, Princess. I needed the laugh.”  
  
The Baron chuckled along, though he was clearly too weak to do any proper laughing.  
  
“Anyways, I need you to show me where you hid it.” Rapunzel said firmly.  
  
Staylan looked at her father. Varian put the rag back in the bucket and turned to her. “I’m going to take a few hours to get this done. Why don’t you go and help her out, I bet I’ll be done by the time you’re back.” He untied his mask and smiled sadly at her. “Trust me, I know all about trying to help your father when you don’t know what to do. I’ve got this handled, so go and distract yourself.”  
  
She sighed. “Alright.” She nodded and turned to Rapunzel. “Let’s get going then, _Princess_.”  
  
“Lance, keep helping him. Cass, why don’t _you_ be my _assistant_?” He smirked at her as she stood by the door.  
  
Cassandra cringed. “What? No, I’m—”  
  
“Cass.” Rapunzel placed her hand on her shoulder. “Please.”  
  
“What can _I_ do to help?” Hookfoot asked.  
  
“Keep Shorty out of the way.” Varian grabbed his bag and walked out to go to the caravan, Cassandra reluctantly following him to start setting up his lab equipment.  
  
Rapunzel and Stalyan followed them out shortly after and unhitched Maximus from the Caravan. “We’ll be back soon, Fidella.” She assured the other horse as Stalyan got on behind her.  
  
“Good luck.” Varian said, smiling at Stalyan.  
  
“You too.” She nodded, and then they took off riding.  
  
“Right.” Varian reached into his bag and handed Cassandra a scarf and his other apron. “You’ll need these. And these.” He pulled out a spare set of alchemist gloves and handed them to her. “And also these.” He handed her spare goggles. “Get them on, I’m going to get a sample of his blood.” He tied on his mask, grabbed a vial and a knife and walked back in.  
  
Cassandra grumbled as she put on the alchemist accessories, trading out her gloves for his and tying the scarf and apron on before putting the goggles on her head with an irritated huff. Varian came back and looked her up and down before nodding approvingly and going to his equipment.  
  
“Let’s get to work.” He said, turning on the burner and pulling out the vial of The Baron’s blood.  
  
“Heh. I remember when blood used to make you _faint_.” Cassandra smirked.  
  
“Yeah, well, that kind of stopped after I had to bandage my own wounds during the weeks that I was waiting for my so-called _friends_ to show up and save me.” Varian said with that threateningly-cheerful voice.  
  
Cassandra groaned. _This_ wasn’t going to be pleasant.  
  
\--  
  
“So, where _is_ the diamond?” Rapunzel asked as they rode along.  
  
“Virtuous St. Goodberry.” Stalyan replied. “Let’s stop for water here.” She pulled out a flask from her belt and walked over to a river to fill it.  
  
They stopped and got down. “Where’s that?” Rapunzel asked as she filled her frying pan to drink from it.  
  
“Not ‘where’, ‘who’.” Stalyan corrected. “ _Eugene_ lost the Eye to him _years_ ago. If we want the Eye, we have to get it from Goodberry.” She paused, watching as Rapunzel took a sip from her frying pan, holding it up so Pascal could drink from her shoulder. “You know they make _cups_ for that?”  
  
“Yeah but, with a frying pan, Pascal and I can drink at the same time.” Rapunzel said, reaching for berries she’d grabbed on the way down to share with Pascal.  
  
Staylan looked at her like she was insane. “Look, we should probably get moving. Goodberry’s place is three days walking, and it’ll be _hours_ even with your fast horse.”  
  
“You could’ve said that _before_!” Rapunzel hopped to her feet.  
  
“Well, at least it’ll give The Alchemist plenty of time to work.” Stalyan went back to Maximus.  
  
“We have _less than two_ to get that diamond!” Rapunzel said as they got up on Maximus’ back.  
  
“Relax, we have time. This horse of yours drops the time it’ll take down _considerably_ , and it’ll take a day at most.” Stalyan assured her. “And _you_ never mentioned the time-limit, so _don’t_ get on me about not mentioning how long it’d take.”  
  
Rapunzel sighed. “Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry. Which way?”  
  
“Goodberry’s place is due east.” Stalyan said, and they took off riding. “So, I’m curious about something.”  
  
“What?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“How did the girl who converted Vardaros into a happy town and fought tooth and nail to get back Eugene and seems to be the embodiment of sunshine itself end up pissing off a fourteen-year-old enough that he kidnapped her mother and attacked her Kingdom?” She chuckled. “Everyone knows about the crime, but not the story. And I figure, hey, why not get _your_ side?”  
  
Rapunzel glanced away. “It’s…difficult to talk about. I made a mistake. So many mistakes. I hurt a friend by…by not doing anything. By standing by and letting him be hurt.”  
  
“Okay, vague.” Stalyan remarked.  
  
Rapunzel pursed her lips. “Well…” She sighed, “it started with our first meeting, I guess. I had somehow grown my hair back after it was cut before when I touched…well, one of the black rocks.” She gestured to one as they passed it. “I went to him for help, following a rumor he was a wizard. Well, he wasn’t a wizard, didn’t know anything _about_ magic, but he tried to help me understand my magical hair anyway. Then, well…while he was helping me, an invention of his was malfunctioning, and it kind of…blew up. While he was picking up the pieces, I left. I’d…gotten what I wanted.”  
  
“Wow.” Staylan said dryly.  
  
“Yeah…” Rapunzel sighed. “Then…then we met again, sometime later. It was a science expo. Poor Varian, he tried so hard to impress people, but something went wrong and the assistant he was going to have got…well, she had other engagements. So, he got someone else and ended up being humiliated as a result. Then, after that, he showed me what had inspired him to create a new element, a cluster of black rocks outside his village. I asked him to not tell anyone, but to also help me figure them out. And…that’s when things went bad, I guess.” She glanced away.  
  
“Princess, it’s _already_ pretty bad.” Staylan said bluntly.  
  
“I know, I know. I was a bad friend.” Rapunzel hung her head. “Well, then we didn’t see each other again, until we were hit with a deadly blizzard that forced Corona into a state of emergency. Before this happened, though, I had been given the role of Queen for a day while my parents went on a trip, and before my father left, Varian’s father had met with him and lied that all was well and things…weren’t. Varian didn’t give me the details, he just said things were bad. I found out later just how bad things were but, at that moment, I promised him that we’d figure the rocks out together and I’d help him out. Well, during the blizzard, Varian came to collect on that promise.”  
  
She fought back tears at the memory. “I was completely overwhelmed. I’d been making mistakes all day, and then the blizzard hit, and now Varian was trying to get me to leave for Old Corona to help him with something about his father and the rocks, I—I _froze_. I told him I couldn’t help him right then, and then I could only _watch_ as he was dragged out by guards and sent home.”  
  
“During the blizzard.” Stalyan raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Yeah.” Rapunzel sighed. “After that, I found myself distracted and busy, too busy to go and see him, and then…then I next heard from him when he sent me a letter by kite, which is a red flag on its own, but the letter was a plea to retrieve something from his lab and a warning about people that would try to take it from me. I didn’t make the connection, at the time, that the masked men that attacked us at his home weren’t there for _me_. And things just…he tricked me into helping him with stealing the Sundrop Flower from the vault, he drugged the castle, he kidnapped my mother, all because his father was trapped in an unbreakable substance that was created from his trying to figure out how to get rid of the black rocks, a task I gave him. And then we battled…and he lost. And I left him to my father while I went to go find the source of the rocks to stop it and now Varian has whipping scars on his back and he’s so, so hurt and it’s _all my fault_!” She sobbed.  
  
“…Wow.” Stalyan nodded. “But, you seem to be making amends for it now. I mean, you’re taking him to the Dark Kingdom, he said.”  
  
“Yeah.” Rapunzel nodded. “What do you know about it?”  
  
“Not much.” She shrugged. “Oh, we’re turning left here. All anyone knows is that the Kingdom fell two decades ago and any survivors have fled to the wayside, with only the King and his feral warrior to protect the place. Anyone who goes there gets cut down by one or the other.”  
  
“Feral warrior?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“Yeah.” Stalyan shivered. “We sent one of our people there, he came home babbling about green eyes and wild beasts and a tree. Haven’t tried since.”  
  
“Why did you send someone there?” Rapunzel asked as Maximus stopped to let a family of ducks cross in front of him.  
  
“Supposedly, the greatest treasure is there. The most beautiful and rarest of jewels, the Moonstone Opal.” She sighed. “I _really_ wanted it, but it’s so heavily guarded by those two psychos that no one can get close.”  
  
“Stalyan, the Moonstone Opal is the source of the black rocks. It’s the counter to the Sundrop Flower.” Rapunzel explained. “That’s what we’re going to the Dark Kingdom for.”  
  
“Well, then good luck to you.” Stalyan nodded.  
  
Rapunzel sighed, then glanced back at her as they continued on. “I’m a bit jealous. I’ve always had trouble connecting with him, especially now, but you and Lady Caine and Andrew all do it so…so effortlessly.”  
  
“Well,” Stalyan chuckled, “that kind of happens when there’s a _huge_ power imbalance, _Princess_. Especially with a dad like yours. The slightest offense and, well, I bet he was just _waiting_ for the chance to drag Varian into the dungeon, from what I’ve heard from both of you.”  
  
Rapunzel pursed her lips. “So…why can’t he connect with Eugene? Why don’t they get along?”  
  
“I don’t know.” Stalyan shrugged. “Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he’s your boyfriend and practically a prince and, again, power imbalance. Or maybe he just pushed him away himself. Eugene’s never been very good with teenagers, he does better with little kids. And when the teenager is a troublemaking kid that, apparently, had something blow up on the day you visited? I can’t imagine that colored his impression of him very well, and he tends to be…well, _dismissive_ of things that he doesn’t want to deal with. He did it to me, he did to the Stabbingtons, and now he’s doing it to Varian. I could see that in the way they interacted when they first came into the bar.”  
  
She reached forward and gripped the reins. “Stop.”  
  
Rapunzel gasped as they halted. “What?”  
  
“Goodberry’s tents.” She pointed to the side. They steered Maximus over and then climbed down off of him.  
  
“Well, what are we waiting for? Come on!” Rapunzel ran in, Stalyan following her.  
  
\--  
  
“So, what if this doesn’t work?” Cassandra asked.  
  
“We keep working.” Varian replied, carefully using a dropper to add something to the clear serum. “We keep going until we find the cure.” He watched as it fizzed, turned pink, then turned yellow. “Hm…interesting reaction. Of course, we’re having to isolate the venom in his blood, so this is taking longer than if I just had the spider, but it was apparently killed during the battle that he was bitten.”  
  
“It’s supposed to be orange.” Cassandra frowned.  
  
“Then we’re getting somewhere.” Varian said, continuing to work. “So, we’re going to take from the roots of this poisonous plant, which normally holds the _antidote_ for this plant…and see if we can incorporate it into our cure _here_.”  
  
Cassandra nodded, watching him work. It was always awe-inspiring to see him do alchemy; it was like magic how he took seemingly-unrelated components and made something from it. It’s no wonder he was called “The Wizard” before he made a name for himself as “The Alchemist of Old Corona”.  
  
Varian drained the roots into the serum carefully and then they watched as the liquid slowly changed from yellow to orange. “Ah! That’s promising!” He held up the serum. “Now to give it a try.” He headed inside and Cassandra followed him, leaving Hookfoot to guard the caravan.  
  
Lance looked up as they came in. “Oh, good, you’re back.”  
  
“Aright, Baron, we’re going to try this out. If this doesn’t work, we’ll keep trying but fingers crossed that we get lucky, hm?” Varian said, and nodded to Lance, who awkwardly helped the man sit up a bit so he could drink the serum.  
  
“There we go, not so fast…that’s it.” Varian coaxed as the large man drank it.  
  
“Mmgh…” He made a face and Varian chuckled.   
  
“I know, I know. It smells bad, probably tastes worse, but you gotta take your medicine.” He said gently.  
  
They finished helping him drink it and then Varian moved the empty beaker away. “Right…now we wait.”  
  
“How long?” Lance asked.  
  
“A few minutes?” Varian shrugged. “How long did it take to work before?”  
  
“Uhm, a few moments, I think.” Lance looked thoughtful.  
  
“We’ll wait.” Varian nodded.  
  
As they watched, they saw the boils starting to clear up and the man’s breathing slowly improved. Varian looked relieved but didn’t say anything yet, his hold on the beaker firm. Cassandra stood next to him quietly, feeling just as nervous, and Lance was standing back from the bed with a nervous look in his eyes.  
  
The Baron coughed, groaned, and slowly opened his eyes. “Nngh…Stalyan? Where is Stalyan?”  
  
“She’ll be returning when she’s finished with her errand.” Varian assured him. “How do you feel, Baron?”  
  
He slowly sat up and Lance backed away several paces, while Varian walked closer to the man, handing the beaker to Cassandra. “Like…like I need _food_.”  
  
“Lance, get The Baron food.” Cassandra said, and he quickly left the room to do so.  
  
“Are you still in pain?” Varian asked.  
  
He held up a hand and slowly flexed his fingers. “Bit stiff…but, it doesn’t hurt anymore. How do I look?”  
  
“You look healthy and strong, Baron.” Varian said, nodding. “Stalyan will be pleased when she returns.”  
  
The Baron moved the blanket covering him and Cassandra quickly left the room. “I need to get dressed. It seems that you have succeeded, Alchemist.”  
  
“It was my pleasure to assist.” Varian assured him.  
  
“Where _is_ my daughter?” The Baron asked as he started to get dressed.  
  
“She’s retrieving the Eye of Pincosta with the Princess of Corona.” Varian explained. “It seems that Flynn Rider got himself in a spot of trouble.” He chuckled.  
  
“When _isn’t_ he?” He smirked and finished dressing before he walked out with Varian, to wild applause.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Varian's mission was a success! Now, how about the girls'?


	7. Goodberry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel and Stalyan put on a show to get the Eye of Pincosta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Rapunzel and Stalyan walked up to the large colorful tent, which was guarded by two very large men. The man stood up as they approached and Rapunzel couldn't help but look them up and down in awe, especially when one of them put out a hand as big as her frying pan. "Closed." He said. "Unless you've got tickets or a bribe."  
  
"Oh, good evening to you, sir." She said, taking his large hand in both of hers and shaking it. "We just need to talk to Mr. Goodberry." She started to walk past them, but the man moved his hand up to cover her entire face and gently push her back.  
  
"No tickets," he started to count on his fingers, "no bribe, no deal."  
  
"We need to talk to Mr. Goodberry." Stalyan said, catching both their attentions. "You're in our way. So, _get out of it_."  
  
"Huh? Oh!" They drew their swords, hitting each other in the faces as they did, and then moved forward.  
  
Rapunzel moved between them and the heiress. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Guys, guys!" She held up her hands in a placating way, then cleared her throat. "There _has_ be a less violent way to handle this. But, if not, I have a frying pan and I _will_ use it."  
  
"Uh, did she just say 'a frying pan'?" One of the men asked the other, who shrugged.  
  
"Oh, yeah. You heard her right." Stalyan said, drawing her sword.   
  
"Get 'em!" The men charge forward. Rapunzel pulled out her frying pan and blocked one of the guys' sword once, twice, and then she winked to Pascal, who licked between the guy's eyes before he let it carry him up to land on his face. "I can't see! Get this thing off of me!" He cried, flailing a bit. She ran around him and hit his leg, then the other leg, then dodged around him as Pascal hopped onto her shoulder before the man fell to the ground with a groan.  
  
A man looked out the window of a caravan and let out a laugh of delight as he watched the battle. Stalyan backed up from the guy fighting her and jumped back to land on a pole, which she used to launch herself off and she swung a kick out to hit him in the head before she landed next to Rapunzel and struck a pose with her sword as the other guy collapsed.  
  
Well, she was no Cassandra, but Stalyan could certainly hold her own, Rapunzel mused. She briefly thought of her and Eugene fighting back to back and considered asking Varian what else he knew about their history together.  
  
"Do you two have any promotors?" A voice asked, breaking her from her thoughts as a dark-skinned man in fancy clothes stepped out of a caravan. "Look, not every day do you meet fighters who can drop a couple guards like bad habits." He walked over to them. "Look, name's Goodberry. Virtuous St. Goodberry. That's right. Walk with me." He reached out his arms and ushered them along.  
  
He led them back over to the tent they were trying to enter before. "Now, the best fighters in the world travel sea and land to come here." He opened the flap. "At the grandeur of the Goodberry Games!"  
  
Rapunzel looked in and gasped with delight. There were people fighting in a ring as people watched from stands. It was like a much tinier Challenge of the Brave Deadman's Circle! She felt excitement in her head, in her thrumming heart, in the way her hands twitched and her fingers curled at the memories of the last time she'd been in an event like this. She even recognized her old opponent, Razorblade McDoom! Gosh, how _nostalgic_! How long had it been? That was shortly before the science expo, wasn't it? Ah, those carefree days...  
  
"We're _not_ here for _this_." Stalyan said, rolling her eyes and pulling a distracted Rapunzel away from the opening. "Her friend is in trouble, and we need the Eye of Pincosta to help him out of it."  
  
He raised an eyebrow, seeing Rapunzel looking back at the tent. "So, uh, you mean _this_ , huh?" He held up his hand and Rapunzel looked at the big, red diamond ring on it. "It's pretty, isn't it? It's big. But, you know what it _ain't_?" He leaned in. " _Yours_. Now, if you're not here to battle, scram!" He pointed to the exit. "I've got fighters to tend to." He started to pound one fist on the other. "They are the meanest, the toughest, the coolest, the strongest, the never-givin-upin'-est people you've ever seen in your _life_!"  
  
"We quit!" Someone cried, and then Razorblade McDoom came into view with an unfamiliar guy.  
  
"What? No, no, no, no, no, no!" Goodberry protested. "I won't hear of it. Big fight's tonight!"  
  
The fighters turned to him, looking frightened. "We're not going up against Malice Marauder." The guy said anxiously.  
  
"McDoom! Hi!" Rapunzel said, waving cheerfully.  
  
The fighter looked over and then jolted with surprise. "Princess Rapunzel? What are you doing all the way out _here_?"  
  
"I'm on a quest. It's so good to see a familiar face, though!" She ran over and hugged her. "I haven't seen you since the Challenge of the Brave!"  
  
"Heh, yeah, wow. Time flies, huh?" McDoom nodded. "Are you, uh, planning to fight here?"  
  
"Well, we actually came to talk to the owner. He has something we need." Rapunzel looked at him, then at her. "Oh, sorry." She let go of her, giggling a bit. "I hugged too long."  
  
"No, it's...it's kind of nice." McDoom said awkwardly. "Well, I should be going."  
  
"Yeah, we've got families to go back to." The guy nodded.  
  
"Wait, wait, hold on. Do you two _know_ each other?" Goodberry asked.  
  
"Well, sort of." McDoom shrugged. "She was the winner of the Challenge of the Brave held in Corona last year, beat Wreck Marauder and everything."  
  
"Oh, come on, I wasn't alone for it." Rapunzel said, smiling shyly.  
  
"You could probably beat Malice, no problem. Me, though? Well, I'm done." She turned to go. "See you around, Your Highness."  
  
"Okay, be safe!" Rapunzel waved after them, then turned to Goodberry, who was staring at her like she just lit up the night sky by herself. "Soooo...if we fight Malice, can we have the ring?"  
  
"What?!" Stalyan and Goodberry said in unison, her in outrage and him in delight.  
  
She walked over to them. "If Stalyan and I fight this Malice Marauder for you, can we have the Eye of Pincosta?"  
  
Staylan looked at her in disbelief, while his eyes went wide and then he held out a hand. "Princess, you've got yourself a _deal_!"  
  
" _Great_ , we'll see you tonight!" Stalyan said as they each shook his hands in turn.  
  
"'Malice Marauder versus the Maidens of Mayhem'. Oh-hooo, it's gonna be a great show!" He ran off excitedly.  
  
"Let's go find the dressing room." Rapunzel suggested with a bright smile.  
  
\--  
  
"Look, I don't know anything about your whole... _history_ with McDoom or _whatever her name was_ , but we have _no_ chance of beating Malice Marauder." Stalyan said as she watched Rapunzel try on masks. "Even if we're better fighters, which we're not--"  
  
"Speak for yourself." Rapunzel commented as she tried on different colored lizard-pattern masks.  
  
"--Goodberry will just rig the game so we lose." She picked something up off the table. "You _know_ that, right?"  
  
"Believe me, Stalyan, I _know_ about people being dishonest. I've been lied to by Varian, the woman that kidnapped me for eighteen years, even my _own father_. In fact, I can't think of a _single_ person that hasn't lied to me about even a tiny thing, at least by omission. But, I would prefer to keep believing in the good in people than to become paranoid and skeptical and think the whole world is against me. Therefore, I am going to take Goodberry at his word." She picked out a green one that matched Pascal and started to tie it on.  
  
Stalyan walked over to tie it on for her. "Oh, you have _so_ much to learn about the world, Princess. You'll soon enough learn it's better to always be looking over your shoulder than to trust everyone."  
  
"Just because I hope for the best in people doesn't make me naive." Rapunzel said, frowning at her reflection in the mirror in front of them.  
  
"Yeah, about that..." Stalyan knelt down and grabbed her hands, locking cold metal around her wrists behind the chair.   
  
"Hey! What?!" Rapunzel looked over her shoulder at the woman.  
  
Pascal lashed out his tongue and she blocked it, then jumped himself and was caught in a bag, which Stalyan tied shut. "Sorry I can't stick around for the fight." She showed Rapunzel the Eye of Pincosta in her hand. "I think Goodberry's gonna be _sore_ when he finds _this_ missing." She dropped the bag in Rapunzel's lap. "Your froggy."  
  
Rapunzel looked over at her as she headed for the door. "If you think that Eugene will be happy with you for stealing the Eye of Pincosta and leaving me here, you're sorely mistaken and don't know him at all. And I don't think Varian will be happy that you left me here, either."  
  
"Flynn will come to his senses and realize a thief belongs with a thief. And as for the kid, well, he doesn't need _you_ , just your caravan. Bye now." She closed the flap and left.  
  
Rapunzel sighed and hung her head. "Sorry, Pascal..."  
  
He squeaked at her sadly from inside the bag.  
  
She heard footsteps after a little while and looked over. "Mr. Goodberry."  
  
"Let me guess. Your partner tricked _both_ of us." He sighed and motioned to a guard to unlock her cuffs. Once she was free, she untied Pascal's bag and got up. "You plannin' to run?"  
  
"I _said_ I would fight and I meant it." Rapunzel assured her. "I don't _need_ her to fight Malice."  
  
"Let's get this show on the road, then." He walked out and Rapunzel followed him with a guard behind her, grabbing her frying pan as she left the tent.  
  
\--  
  
The drums were rolling. The crowd was cheering Malice's name. Candles were lit above the ring and then Goodberry stepped into it with a horn to amplify his voice. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the Goodberry Games!" He greeted, earning more cheering. "That's right. Are you ready for the for a knock-down, lock-down match of the millennium?" The crowd cheered again and he chuckled. "Well, here we go! She's from far away, but _eager_ to join the fray. It's the Princess with the punches, the winner of last year's Challenge of the Brave, the Maiden of Mayhem, Princess Rapunzel!"  
  
Rapunzel walked into the tent with confident strides, Pascal on her shoulder and frying pan in her hand. She grabbed onto a pole marking one of the corners of the ring and hopped up and over the springy bars, landing inside it with her hands on her hips and smirking at all the boos. She'd have that turned around _real_ fast, just like Wreck Marauder.  
  
"And our champion needs no introduction: She brings the might, she brings the bite, and she'll bring the smite!" Goodberry announced as people cheered. "Give it up for Malice Marauder!"  
  
A burst of purple smoke appeared and Rapunzel saw the shadow of a huge figure in the smoke. She wondered how they were going to _fit_ in the ring, and then they stepped out of the smoke and she saw a girl shorter than her with a wild look to her dressed in pink. "That's Malice?" She mused. She looked a _lot_ like Wreck Marauder. Maybe his daughter? Aww! "Alright, this isn't so bad."  
  
Malice let out a feral growl and ran over around smashing barrels before she hopped into the ring and picked up Goodberry with one hand, shaking him up and down playfully and carrying him around the ring while Rapunzel stood back out of her path. She could see why McDoom was so hesitant - any normal person would be _terrified_ of this display. But, Rapunzel was no ordinary person. She had faced Wreck Marauder, automatons, wild beasts, rabid Lorbs, criminals of all shapes and sizes and even a demonic cultist! She wasn't even a _little_ afraid of this girl.  
  
Okay, maybe a _little_. But she wouldn't _show_ it. Just like she tried not to show much _Varian_ terrified her.  
  
\--  
  
Stalyan sighed as she took a break. "Stupid horse, refusing to give me a ride back." She muttered. "Should've stolen one of Goodberry's." She pulled out the Eye of Pincosta and held it up to the moonlight, then tossed it up and down in her hands smugly before she put it back and pulled out her flask. She opened it and held it over her lips, and was met with paper coming out into of water. Frowning, she pulled it out fully and unrolled it.  
  
[ _Stalyan,_  
  
 _It's Rapunzel._  
 _If you are reading this note,_  
 _it means you probably_  
 _betrayed me._  
 _But, remember, there is_  
 _good in everybody._  
 _Even you._  
 _And I hope you will make_  
 _the right decision in the end._  
 _Rapunzel._  
  
 _P.S. Varian has a thing about_  
 _broken promises._  
 _Take care of him for me, okay?_  
 _And, tell him, I'm sorry that I_  
 _couldn't keep my promise again._ ]  
  
She groaned, balled it up and threw it away from her before picking up her dropped flask and walking off into the forest.  
  
\--  
  
"Let the games begin!" Goodberry announced.  
  
Rapunzel gripped her frying pan, watching the girl closely. "This will be risky for you, Pascal." She decided, taking him off her shoulder and setting him down on the floor to crawl out of the ring. Then she straightened up and faced the girl as she growled at her, then ducked to the side when she charged before she swung around and hit the girl twice, first with her club of a braid and then her frying pan, which knocked the girl into one of the poles.  
  
This was actually kind of therapeutic! The last battle she'd been in, she had been helpless, unable to make a move and only obey or lose the love of her life forever to the whims of a grief-stricken, traumatized teenager and his powerful friends in low places! Here, she could let loose and fight back! She shifted her grip on the dented frying pan and her feet on the ground as the girl left the pole and growled at her.  
  
"You must think you're _so_ terrifying, don't you? Trust me, I've fought worse." Rapunzel assured her, then dodged to the side when the girl charged again, twirling to whack Malice in the face with her braid before she hit her again with her frying pan to knock her down. Then she stepped back several feet to get out of her reach as she recovered.   
  
"Hm, don't know how any more hits this thing can take." She looked at her frying pan, suddenly glad for Varian's demand that they get a new frying pan for cooking. She'd have to get a new one for fighting, probably. She whacked the pan against one of the poles and it dented back into shape. "There we go!" She gasped and quickly rolled away to avoid being rolled into by the feral girl. "Phew, keeping me on my toes!"  
  
She heard a few people cheering for her among the booing and that was enough for her, to know that _some_ people were enjoying her part of the show. She shifted the frying pan in her hands and then the girl charged at her once more, reaching for her. She twirled to avoid her and whacked her with the frying pan when she got behind her, then hopped backwards when she swiped at her. "Come on, is charging all you got?" She asked playfully.  
  
Malice went to one of the springy bars and leaned back on it, then launched herself at Rapunzel like a slingshot. She gasped and whacked her with the frying pan when she came down on her and Malice hit the ground with a groan while Rapunzel stepped to the side, shaking her hand. "Okay, _that_ was close."  
  
She untied her hair and then held it tight and cracked it like a whip, which made her flinch a bit as she thought of the scars littering Varian's back. How often had he heard that sound? She made a point to avoid doing that around him, then swung her hair out to latch around the girl's waist and yanked her to the side, throwing her out of the ring.  
  
Malice roared and charged back to the ring, jumping in and slamming into Rapunzel. She cried out in surprise and then yanked her hair out of the girl's reach just before she grabbed in. "I don't think so!"  
  
"You look like you've got it handled pretty good."  
  
"Stalyan?" Rapunzel looked over as Malice did the same.  
  
Stalyan walked over and climbed into the ring. "Decided to come back and keep my promise." She held out a hand to Rapunzel and she clapped her hand against it. Malice charged at them and Rapunzel wrapped her hair around Stalyan and yanked her up, Stalyan kicking the girl in the face, hard, and knocking her out of the ring again.  
  
She hit the wall and then pushed herself up with a feral growl before she ran over and knocked Goodberry from his chair before she picked it up and ran back to the ring with it.  
  
"Is that allowed?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"I don't think he's brave enough to actually stop her." Stalyan shrugged.  
  
Malice threw the chair at them and Rapunzel caught it with her hair and Stalyan stopped it from falling to the floor. Then she borrowed Rapunzel's frying pan and whacked the girl in the face while Rapunzel took the chair over to a grateful Goodberry.  
  
"You know, if this was the Deadman's Circle, you'd have lost _long_ ago." Rapunzel said, swinging her hair at Malice as she lashed at Stalyan, he yelped and growled as she found her body caught by more and more hair and then Rapunzel yanked and swung her at Stalyan, who had the frying pan ready. She was hit, hard, and then Rapunzel pulled her hair away while the girl slowly got back up.  
  
"NNghh...ahaha..." She started to sway and Stalyan poked her in the forehead before Malice fell to the ground.   
  
Goodberry banged a gavel on a bell. "I don't believe it." He climbed up into the ring. "You are all witnessing _history,_ everybody!" Rapunzel smiled and knelt to let Pascal climb up onto her hand and up to her arm to her shoulder as the man went on. "I present the new champions! The gals with gall, the sisters who can twister, the sweeties with the heat-ies, give it up for the Maidens of Mayhem!"  
  
Rapunzel beamed at the crowd, which was a mixture of cheering and booing, and waved cheerfully.  
  
" _Your Highness_ , we have to _go_." Stalyan reminded her. "We'll be keeping the Eye." She informed Goodberry before walking out of the ring.  
  
"Right!" Rapunzel lowered her hand, grateful for the mask covering her blushing. "Thank you for the _amazing_ event, but I have a boyfriend to go save and a quest to continue. But, maybe another time?"  
  
"Right, right." Goodberry said as they headed out. "Y'all be safe now! And thanks for the show!"  
  
They headed to the dressing room to get Rapunzel's things first, then headed for Maximus. He gave Stalyan a cold look and she rolled her eyes.. "She's _right here_ , happy? I _told_ you she was fine."  
  
"I had loads of fun!" Rapunzel assured Maximus. "But, now we gotta go."  
  
They got on his back and he started to head back unprompted.  
  
\--  
  
They stopped for a drink and a snack and Stalyan watched as Rapunzel used her hands to drink water. "What, no frying pan this time?"  
  
"I don't want another lecture from Varian about drinking or eating things from my frying pan when it's been whacking people all day." Rapunzel admitted. "You should've heard him, he was going on about germs and sanitation and it was kind of funny." She giggled.  
  
Stalyan hummed in response, then looked to the side. "...You know, _now_ I know why he went for you."  
  
"Eugene?" She looked up at her with surprise.  
  
" _I_ looked at him and I saw a thief." She sighed, then looked at her with a smile. "And y _ou_ looked at him and you saw a good person, which made him want to _be_ a good person." She pointed at her casually. "And, it worked on _me_ , too." She looked down with a soft smile. "Who knows, maybe you can help _that_ _kid_ be good, too."  
  
She stepped away from the tree and walked back to Maximus, then paused and pulled out the Eye of Pincosta, tossing it to her. "Here, _you_ should be the one to free him. I'm going back to my father."  
  
Rapunzel caught it and walked over to follow her, putting the Eye of Pincosta in her bag. "Is this going to be goodbye, then?"  
  
"For now." Stalyan smiled. "Who knows, maybe we'll meet again."  
  
They climbed on and took off back to the Glass Sipper. She dropped Stalyan off at the Glass Sipper and then returned to Pincosta alone. When she came back later with Eugene, she found the Baron and Stalyan had left and Varian was sending off Cleo with a message for Andrew.  
  
"Is it the end of the week already?" Eugene asked as Varian went to head in.  
  
"Yep." He closed the door behind him.  
  
"Let's hope it's a good report." Eugene walked over to get in front with Rapunzel and Cassandra. "Onwards?"  
  
"To the next anywhere!" Rapunzel nodded.  
  
Varian opened the window and poked his head out. "'The next anywhere' would be a place called The Great Tree, where a feral man that guards the Dark Kingdom was seen by The Baron's men - those that managed to escape, that is. Just a heads-up on what we're driving into."  
  
"Next stop: The Great Tree!" Rapunzel corrected before they set off. Varian closed the window as he pulled his head back in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure this guy is nothing they can't handle.
> 
> ((A/N: So, funny story! I actually had the next three chapters written up, well, two and a 1/3, but then my computer updated, Word had a seizure, and the main file for this story completely poofed! So, I'm going to be writing this story on AO3 until further notice, just in case, and might do the same with the others just to be safe.))


	8. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While on the way to the Great Tree, the group deals with Varian's nightmares for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

It was late at night, all was quiet. Even Owl had settled down for a nap. Suddenly, the air was pierced by the heart-shattering scream of terror and pain from a child.  
  
Varian thrashed in his sleep, unaware of the fact that he was waking everyone around him. As far as he know, he was chained to a table, his shirt tossed to the side as he bit back cries that escaped in the waking world.  
  
\--  
  
 _"This would all stop if you would just give in, Varian."  
  
"Nngh...nnngh..." Another strike to his back, he could taste blood on his tongue as he bit his lip to keep from screaming.  
  
The hateful face stared down at him, and then the whip halted as the man before him reached out to grip the teenager's face. "I don't understand **why** you're being so stubborn. What I have offered you is better than the fate you have down here."  
  
"What you have **offered** me..." he managed through teeth clenched in pain, "is isolation, complete lack of sunlight, and my skills put to your private use, never to have **any** say over what you **do** with my creations. I'd rather **die**_ _than make **anything** for you, __**Frederic**_ _."  
  
"You would do well to show me respect, _**_boy_** _." The King of Corona said with a warning tone.  
  
"_ _But, I **am** showing you all the respect you **deserve** **. NONE!** " Varian said, then spit blood at the man's face.  
  
He narrowed his eyes at him, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the blood off, then stood back, staring him down. "Continue."  
  
Varian glared at him, clenching his teeth again in anticipation of the pain, biting back another scream. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He'd **never** let him hear him scream or cry, never again._  
  
\--  
  
"Varian!" Rapunzel fussed over him as he continued to thrash and scream, tears slipping down his cheeks. "I-I don't know what to--"  
  
"Here, let me." Lance came over and gently lifted Varian into his arms, holding him against his body. "It's alright, Varian. It's alright. I'm here. It's Lance. you're safe."  
  
"L-Lance...?" Varian whispered weakly.  
  
"That's right." Lance smiled. "Lance, your buddy. It's just a nightmare." He assured him, sitting down and rocking him gently.  
  
Varian slowly opened his eyes, his gaze blank, and then gasped and jerked away before he scrambled out of his hold and ran to curl up in a corner, looking at them with wide, unfocused eyes. Rapunzel started to get up, but Lance held out a hand and shook his head. Varian's gaze slowly grew focused, filled with recognition, and then he got up, grabbed some alchemy supplies and went outside.  
  
"Let's give him a bit of time." Rapunzel said, watching as Lance stepped out after him. "Or...not?"  
  
"He's got this." Eugene sighed. " _Geez_ , though, that was horrific."  
  
Rapunzel nodded grimly.  
  
They ended up staying up until Lance came back in, Varian fast asleep in his arms. "I'm going to take him to my bed." He whispered, "we'll figure out what to do for him sleeping alone tomorrow."  
  
"Good idea." Eugene nodded, moving his arms from around Rapunzel and getting up. "See you tomorrow, Sunshine."  
  
She smiled and nodded. "Sleep well."  
  
\--  
  
The next morning, Varian acted like nothing had happened. And really, to him, that was normal. He had warned them about it, had known it would happen, because he was so used to it. And it was best for them to not talk about it, though Rapunzel wanted desperately to know what he was dreaming about. She knew it involved prison and her father, possible of when he got those horrible scars, but there was so much she didn't know. What offer was made that he "had to refuse"? What did her father _want_ of Varian?  
  
Lance prepared breakfast with Varian assisting him and then they all sat down to eat. Not much conversation was had, mostly between Varian and Lance, but Rapunzel couldn't listen to Varian talk so cheerfully without feeling guilty. It was almost like he'd never been...hurt. Like she never betrayed his trust.   
  
After breakfast was over, Cassandra got up and went to practice her sword-fighting. Varian looked up at her and watched her quietly for several minutes before he got up and approached her. "Teach me how to fight."  
  
"What?" She almost dropped her sword in surprise. "Uh, excuse me?"  
  
"Teach me how to fight." He repeated. "We're going to be going up against a feral man in a tree soon, and then a feral man in a castle and..." he sighed, "my father never taught me how to _defend myself_ , much less _fight_."  
  
Cassandra pursed her lips. "Well, we wouldn't want to risk you getting killed because we were too slow to help you. Alright, wait here." He walked into the caravan and came back with her extra sword. "Which hand do you use?"  
  
"Uh, both?" He shrugged. "But, my main hand is my left one."  
  
"Hm, sinister. That's fitting." She remarked, walking over to tie the sheathe onto his belt on his right side. Once it was secure, she stepped back. "Right, let's go over the basics, first. I know you can wave a sword around like a madman, but you need to learn how to actually _fight, right?_ "  
  
"Right." He nodded.  
  
\--  
  
A half-hour later, they had gotten past basics and were actually sparring now. "Wow, you dodge really well." Cassandra remarked.  
  
"I've had a lot of practice dodging the swords of your dad and the rest of the Royal Guard." Varian reminded her casually.  
  
Rapunzel looked up from her doodling next to Eugene, who was sitting against the caravan with his arm around Rapunzel's waist.  
  
"Heh, remember when he slashed up his lab trying to impress me?" Eugene remarked.  
  
"Did that happen?" Hookfoot asked from where he was playing cards with Lance. Shorty was dozing by the fire, with Ruddiger sitting on top of him and eating what was left of his food while Owl stared at him disapprovingly.  
  
"As _I_ recall," Cassandra said with a chuckle, "he was trying to impress _Flynn Rider_ , not _Eugene Fitzherbert_."  
  
Varian whipped around her and she gasped and quickly moved out of the way while Eugene sputtered. "Careful! We're aiming to _disarm only_ right now!"  
  
"So what if I wasn't actually Flynn Rider, it was still _me_!" Eugene argued.  
  
"Right, sorry." Varian said, rolling his eyes. "When do we get to actually _fight_?"  
  
"Well, you're not going to be _stabbing_ me. You're aiming to disarm and defend, anything else isn't okay on anything but an actual enemy and a training dummy." She clashed swords with Varian.  
  
He raised an eyebrow, holding his blade against hers. " _When_ did you stop seeing me as an _enemy_?"  
  
She faltered and then moved back to avoid him disarming her.   
  
"Hey, mind if I cut in?" Eugene got up. "I bet I could teach you better."  
  
"Mmm, nah. The _horse_ would be a better teacher." Varian said teasingly.   
  
"Excuse me? I resent that! Let me in there, Cassandra!" He walked over to Varian and drew his sword.  
  
"He's all yours, I'm going to go scouting. Raps, wanna come?" She smiled at her.  
  
"Sure!" Rapunzel put her doodles inside the caravan and they went to unhitch the horses from the caravan.  
  
\--  
  
Rapunzel rode Maximus down a dirt path, a determined smile on her face. "Bank left!" She told him, and he obeyed, heading down a lower path. She spotted a log bridging the two higher areas and said, "Duck!" before he ducked low. "Yeah, we lost 'em!" She cheered.  
  
"How many time do I have to tell you? Watch your flank!" Cassandra asked as Fidella jumped over Maximus and landed next to him and run alongside.   
  
"Nice move!" Rapunzel praised.  
  
"Thanks! It's just like old times." Cassandra said, chuckling a bit.  
  
"Well, not _quite_ like old times." Rapunzel said slyly, then directed Maximus to jump over a squirrel holding acorns. The squirrel squeaked in alarm and dropped them as they harmless passed overhead, and then Fidella started to stumble on them. "Whoo-hoo!"  
  
"Whoa, whoa!" Cassandra said, then directed Fidella to follow Maximus.  
  
"I've gotten _pretty_ good at horseback-riding since Corona." Rapunzel said, looking over her shoulder at her smugly.  
  
"Great. Don't get cocky." Cassandra said as she caught up to her again. "I still got a few tricks up my sleeve."  
  
Fidella winked at Maximus and he gasped happily, melted, then did a happy neigh as he reared back, with Rapunzel protesting as she hung on while Cassandra and Fidella pulled ahead. "Told you we got this." Cassandra said to her affectionately.  
  
"Okay, that was sneaky." Rapunzel grinned. "C'mon, Max! We're gonna _lose_!"  
  
He set his hooves back down and took off riding after Fidella. They caught up quickly, noticing that they'd stopped in front of a pit of spike. "Make way!" Rapunzel called. "Don't worry, boy. You _got_ this." She assured Maximus, who kept running until he launched into the air.  
  
"Raps, wait! It's too wide! You could--" Cassandra was easily passed by and then they landed safely on the other side before she'd finished what she was saying. "--go splat!" she finished, looking relieved when Rapunzel looked back at her smugly.  
  
"Ha! Best race _ever_!" Rapunzel cheered as she rode off on Maximus.  
  
\--  
  
Cassandra and Fidella caught up a little bit later and they slowed down, Rapunzel laying on her back on Maximus' saddle. "After being cramped in that caravan for the past few months, especially since we had to add someone to our _bedroom_ , it's _so_ great to be out here in the open, just the two of us!" Rapunzel declared.  
  
"Yeah, it's great." Cassandra nodded. "But, for the record, this was a _scouting_ _trip_. No one _officially_ said anything about it being a race."   
  
"Cass, don't be a sore loser." Rapunzel said, sitting up and leaning on Maximus' head. "And don't even _try_ to tell me you aren't."  
  
"Hey, I am _not_ a sore loser." Cassandra argued with a chuckle.  
  
"All evidence points to the contrary." Rapunzel said playfully.  
  
"Alright, fine, but to be a sore loser _right now_ , I would have to have _lost_ something." Cassandra said smugly.  
  
Rapunzel suddenly gasped and sat up a bit. "There it is." She breathed. "The Great Tree."  
  
It was giant, taller than Corona Castle, and looked majestic but also bare of leaves. But, most of all, it also felt...familiar. The twisted, tilted shape reminded her of something, she couldn't place _what_ , and it was nagging at her incessantly, with steady taps in her mind. Before she could ponder on it, though, Cassandra was drawing her attention back to her.  
  
"According to The Baron, the inside is hollowed out and it's the fastest way through those mountains. There is other ways, but...well, they're all just as dangerous as fighting a wild man in a tree." Cassandra was saying.  
  
"Do you think we'll run into Adira there?" Rapunzel mused.  
  
"Ugh, I hope not." Cassandra rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh, come on, she's not _that_ bad." Rapunzel walked over to climb onto Maximus' back. "Okay, it'll be getting dark soon. Let's head back and make sure we're well-rested for tomorrow!"  
  
"You're right. Race ya!" Cassandra turned Fidella and they took off running. "And it's official this time!"  
  
"Oh, it is _so_ on!" Rapunzel said as she and Maximus took off after her.  
  
Neither of them noticed the two pairs of eyes that watched them before the two binturongs hiding in the shadows growled at each other and then left towards the Great Tree.  
  
\--  
  
They got back to camp at the same time and Cassandra instantly started laughing when they saw Eugene stuck in a pile of goo. "Uh, _wow_ , what happened here?!" She snickered.  
  
"Kid's a sore loser." Eugene said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"To be fair," Hookfoot said, looking up from playing card with Lance and Shorty, though the latter had fallen asleep, "you _did_ call him a 'weak-armed daddy's boy'."  
  
"And I _apologized_ , like, _five times_!" Eugene said in exasperation.  
  
Rapunzel giggled and Eugene looked at her with a hurt expression. "Okay, okay. Varian? Can you let him out of the goo, please?"  
  
"Fiiiiiine." Varian opened the door and walked out, sprinkling something on the goo when he got to it. " _Don't_ do it again." He headed back to the caravan.  
  
"Yeah, okay." Eugene rolled his eyes behind his back.  
  
"So, the Great Tree isn't much further, it's just over that ridge." Rapunzel said, pointing back where they came from. "So, we'll rest tonight and set out in the morning.  
  
"Any sign of our feral tree man?" Eugene asked as he checked himself over for goo.  
  
"Nope, but we'll keep an eye out." Cassandra walked back to the caravan. "Raps, it's your turn to make dinner."  
  
"Right!" Rapunzel went to get ingredients.  
  
Once it was done, they all gathered around to eat. Rapunzel looked away from her conversation with Eugene and noticed that Varian was feeding Ruddiger from his fork as the raccoon sat curled around his shoulders. "You know," she commented, "Stalyan thought it was _so weird_ that I shared my food with Pascal, and that we drank from the same frying pan."  
  
"Ruddiger only eats from my dish or food that I've cooked." Varian said as he fed him some more, stroking his fur affectionately.  
  
" _That's_ awfully specific. How come?" Cassandra asked.  
  
Varian tensed a bit. "...Well...the Royal Guard tried to _poison_ him. He didn't recognize the scene, but Andrew and I did and we took it away from him quickly and I fed him from mine while Andrew threw the poisoned food at the guard. He didn't even get him in trouble for it, just...laughed. Guy was a real creep, I'm glad to be away from him."  
  
"Yikes." Rapunzel cringed. "Well, it's okay, Ruddiger." She served him a bowl, then took a bite from it herself before offering it. "See? It's safe."  
  
Pascal squeaked encouragingly. Ruddiger stared at it, then chittered to Varian before Varian stroked his fur and spoke quietly, then moved his hand as Ruddiger climbed down and approached the bowl, sniffing it warily before looking at Varian. Varian nodded and picked it up, sniffing at it before he set it down and nodded.  
  
Rapunzel watched anxiously, then felt relief when he started to eat from his own bowl. "There we go." She served Pascal some and set it down next to Ruddiger and Pascal went over and started to eat next to him. She glanced up at Varian and saw a softness in his eyes she hadn't seen since before the blizzard. When he realized she was looking at him, though, she looked away from her and continued to eat, putting up his walls again.  
  
Still, she considered this progress.   
  
After Varian finished eating, and Rapunzel couldn't help but notice he ate quickly, as did Ruddiger, they both headed into the caravan. "Lance? Can I borrow your vest?"  
  
"Yep." Lance got up from his own empty dish and headed after him, closing the caravan door behind him.  
  
"Didn't Lance spend eight years in prison?" Cassandra mused. "Maybe _that's_ why he's so good with the kid."  
  
"...Oh yeah, he did." Rapunzel said, as if she didn't even think about that until now.  
  
"I wonder what kind of _life_ he had in there." Cassandra poked at her food. "If he's _also_ got scars that he's hiding from all of us."  
  
Eugene's brow furrowed and he looked down, a guilty expression on his face.  
  
When they finished eating and cleaned up, they found that Varian fast asleep on his bed with Lance's vest draped over his pillow and Lance sitting with Varian's "Flynnigan Rider" book. He slowly closed it and brought his finger to his lips, setting the book down on one of Varian's boxes before he got up slowly and walked to step outside. They walked out with him and he slowly closed the door.  
  
Lance turned to Rapunzel and Cassandra. "Alright, I got him to sleep, but he still might have nightmares. In case that happens, I asked him what it is Andrew normally does and he usually strokes his hair and talks to him until he falls asleep, so just...you know, stroke his hair and read a chapter or two of Flynn Rider until he calms down. Got it?"  
  
"Right." Rapunzel nodded. "Thank you, Lance."  
  
He nodded. "C'mon, Eugene. We'll go in the other door. See you girls tomorrow."  
  
They nodded and then slowly opened the door to step inside. They then got ready for bed quietly so they wouldn't wake Varian, then Rapunzel sat up awake just long enough to fill out her journal before she went to sleep.  
  
\--  
  
Varian slept through the night, though Rapunzel did have to get up and soothe him when he started whimpering. Stroking his hair and reading from his favorite book successfully calmed him down enough to sleep.  
  
The next morning, Varian got up to make breakfast for everyone, looking less like he was carrying the weight of the world on his small shoulders. Rapunzel smiled gratefully towards where Lance was still sleeping and walked out to join him.  
  
"Sleep well?" She asked, walking over to where he was lighting the campfire.  
  
"Surprisingly, yes. For once." Varian chuckled. "Flynn Rider came in and rescued me, isn't that crazy?"  
  
Rapunzel sighed. "I'm sorry that the real one didn't come to help you."  
  
"Rapunzel, he's not real. He's just fictional, I was just... _dumb_ _enough_ to believe that he was _real_." Varian shook his head.  
  
"Maybe he's not the fictional Flynn Rider, but Eugene's reputation wasn't just because of the book. If we'd known..." She sighed. "Well, I suppose I can't say that he would've _rescued_ you, when he put you _in_ there, can I?"  
  
Varian shrugged. "Doesn't matter, it was just a silly dream." He got up and went to get ingredients for breakfast.  
  
Rapunzel sighed. "Varian?" She walked over to him. "Uhm...what _offer_ did my father make you?"  
  
He looked up at her. "What?"  
  
"Well, _refusing_ it had to be worth...you know... _this_." She gestured to him. "So, _what_...I mean, if you don't _want_ to tell me..."  
  
He picked up the ingredients he needed. "...You know how Gothel wanted to keep you in a tower for the rest of your life?"  
  
"Yes." Rapunzel nodded.  
  
"He wanted to keep me in an underground bunker, which would be my workshop and home until the day I died. I'd be building whatever he wanted, making him whatever serum he wanted, there at his beck and call, his little _pet alchemist_. On paper, though, I'd still be in High-Security. No one ever goes down there, so no one would know either way." He picked up a pot and carried it over to the fire before he started to prepare the ingredients, starting with pouring water into the pot from a flask.  
  
"He...He _wouldn't_." She said, but deep down she knew that the father that had her locked away in her tower bedroom with bars on her window _absolutely would_ do that to Varian. She clutched at her hair anxiously, just _imagining_ the fate her father kept trying to talk Varian into or else be whipped was making her feel ill. She would've come back and he would've been completely out of sight.  
  
But...she _needed_ him. Maybe she could've used the scroll to talk her father into bringing him out of wherever he had him. She looked over at Varian, who was focused on his cooking. She still hadn't shown it to him...should she? Could she trust him enough yet? No...she'd wait a bit longer. Just a bit longer...  
  
\--  
  
After breakfast, they cleaned up camp and started to pack up the caravan. "Hey, Lance, can we talk for a bit?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Sure, what's up?" Lance turned to him.  
  
Eugene sighed. "Look, you seem to be really close to the kid, so maybe you can help me. Rapunzel thinks that Varian still has good in him--"   
  
"There's no 'alchemy in 'rock, paper, scissors'!" Hookfoot yelled.  
  
"--and I believe that, too, especially after seeing how he interacts with you. And I want things to be better between us, but--"  
  
"Not _originally_ , no, but I have adapted it to our current situation." Varian replied.  
  
"--I don't know how to get closer to him. He's always treating Rapunzel, Cassandra and I like we're either dirt under his foot or his servants." Eugene finished.  
  
"That's not how the game _works_!" Hookfoot insisted.  
  
"Well, Eugene," Lance sighed, rubbing his head, "How do I put this...you _had_ your chance to be his friend, and you threw it away. I only just recently met him, didn't _know_ him before, so _I_ don't have the whole 'betrayed his trust' thing attached to me."  
  
"The game utilizes the real-world effects of rock, paper, and scissors on each other. Why, then, can something else not be added if it is realistically possible? And, by the way, have you _ever_ cut a rock with paper? Because it doesn't _actually work_!" Varian argued.  
  
"You three were all, well, _supposedly_ the only friends he had back then, but when he went to you for help, you all threw him away and then attacked him. Did you ever _once_ consider going down there to get his side of the story when you heard the rumors?" Lance went on.  
  
"That's besides the point!" Hookfoot insisted.  
  
"How?! The whole _point_ of it is to use real-world effects!" Varian said with exasperation. "The game makes _no sense_!"  
  
"...You're right." Eugene sighed. "I screwed up. So, what do you suggest?"  
  
"It's not _supposed_ to make sense! The rules are the rules; rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper and paper beats rock!" Hookfoot griped.  
  
"I'd start with an apology." Lance suggested. "And then trying to actually _bond_ with him, show interest in _his_ interests."  
  
"Are _either_ of you two going in to stop them from killing each other?" Cassandra asked as Rapunzel and her walked up to them.  
  
"I'll do it." Eugene walked over and opened the door. "Guys, guys! _What_ _is_ _going on_?"   
  
"He won't admit that he lost to the power of alchemy. _I melted his scissors_." Varian said, frowning at Hookfoot.  
  
"Varian isn't any fun in the sandbox, that's what." Hookfoot rolled his yes. "Geez, it's no _wonder_ the only friends you've ever had are a raccoon and a bunch of adults!"  
  
Varian growled, his eyes narrowing. "Take it back."  
  
"No." Hookfoot stuck out his tongue.  
  
"Guys--" Eugene started, then quickly moved forward to catch Varian when he lunged at the thug. "Whoa, whoa! Kid, it's okay! He didn't mean it, _right_?" He looked at Hookfoot sternly and Hookfoot jolted as he suddenly remembered _what was at stake_.  
  
"...Yeah. sorry." He said, glancing away.  
  
"See? He apologized." Eugene looked at Varian. "No need to get mad, okay?"  
  
Varian pursed his lips, then pulled away from Eugene. "...Right." He walked out of the caravan.  
  
Eugene looked at Hookfoot. "What were you _thinking_?!" He hissed.  
  
"...I wasn't." He sighed. "I was more worried about my pride. I forgot...but, you called him a 'daddy's boy' and he didn't lunge at _you_."  
  
"Yeah, but _I_ was joking around. _You_ were seriously making a comment about his lack of friends. That's not cool, man, even as a joke." Eugene shook his head and then walked out to follow Varian.  
  
He found Varian with Lance and looked relieved, then looked towards Rapunzel and Cassandra.  
  
\--  
  
"You know, I'm _really_ starting to miss last night, when it was just you and me." Cassandra remarked as she looked over at the caravan.  
  
"Ha, yeah." Rapunzel nodded.  
  
"Speaking of last night, Raps, that jump you and Max took--"  
  
"Oh, you mean the jump that won us the race?" Rapunzel said smugly, walking over to check on the horses before they set out again.  
  
"It _wasn't_ a _race_." Cassandra corrected, then turned to her. "But yeah, that one. It was kind of reckless." She walked over to join her.  
  
"Cass, _you_ of _all_ people know that I can handle myself _pretty well_ out here." Rapunzel giggled a bit. "I don't _need_ anyone to protect me, that's _not_ why I brought you."  
  
"Then, why did you--" Cassandra started to ask, but then was cut off by a thumping sound as the ground shook under her feet. It sounded a few more times, and then stopped. The horses looked up and everyone else outside followed suit to see figures on the top of the hill.  
  
A man with dark hair sat on top of a rhinoceros, two creatures Rapunzel had never seen before at his side. "Is that a _real_ rhinoceros?" She breathed.  
  
"Princess," Varian said as he stepped back, "I think that's our feral man that lives in the tree."  
  
"Everyone get in!" Cassandra yelled, and they all ran to get into the caravan or on the front, just as the rhino roared. The horses took off running, and the beasts followed suit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this could be bad!
> 
> ((A/N: When I first did this chapter, RIP my file, it went on until they hit the cliff. But, I added too much and now I have to take them to the cliff in the next chapter. Oh well!))


	9. Feral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The feral man chases the caravan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

The caravan raced through the woods, with the rhino and whatever-those-are chasing after, the feral man glaring at them with murder in his eyes. Varian should know, he'd had eyes like that himself.   
  
"Ruddiger," He said, and Ruddiger hopped down and nuzzled him. "Let's slow him down." He grabbed his alchemy bag and opened the door to the caravan.  
  
"Varian, what are you doing?!" Lance asked in alarm. Varian pulled out small alchemy balls and tossed them to Ruddiger, who ate them before jumping out. He changed with a flash of light and then Varian jumped onto his back, riding off to intercept the rhino. "Varian!"  
  
Varian pulled out goo bombs. "Okay, then. Let's see how you stand up to the power of _alchemy_!" He held onto Ruddiger with one hand and threw alchemy bombs with the other, hitting all three beasts. The rider jumped off the rhino and landed on Ruddiger's back, then held a blade to Varian's neck.  
  
"You're either _really_ brave, have a _death-wish_ , or are _really_ stupid." He hissed in his ear.  
  
Varian tossed dust at him with a flick of the wrist and the man cried out, falling back. He grabbed onto Varian's vest as he fell and Varian managed to look at him. "Wait!" He realized. "That emblem on your clothes! Do you know my father, Quirin?!"  
  
"You--Fath--Qui--WHEN?!" He sputtered. Ruddiger reared back and he let go of Varian's vest as he fell off, rolling on the ground before he ran back to his beasts, who were getting loose of the goo.  
  
"Varian!" Eugene called. "Get back here!"  
  
"Right! Come on, Ruddiger!" Varian said, and they headed back to the caravan.  
  
"Don't do anything that crazy again! We could've _lost_ you!" Lance said as he held out a hand and Varian climbed off of Ruddiger and into the caravan. Then Rudiger glowed and shrank down and Varian caught him just before he fell back, holding him close.  
  
"You're tired, huh, buddy? It's okay, you did well. Let's go take you to bed." He walked off into the other side of the caravan and shut the door.  
  
"That rhino's still coming after us!" Eugene said from the front. "We can't outrun it!"  
  
"Maybe we don't _have_ to!" Rapunzel said.  
  
Varian heard some kind of commotion up front, and then the caravan made a creaking noise. He got up and walked over to open the door and was startled to find the caravan had split in two.  
  
"...Didn't know it could do _that_." He said, shutting the door again and going back to Ruddiger's side.  
  
"Okay, who's with us?" Cassandra called.  
  
"Just me and Ruddiger!" Varian called back. "I brought him in because he got tired out from the earlier transformation!"  
  
"Alright, what do you see back there?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
Varian got up and went to the window. "Uh, we got the feral guy after us, his beasts went after the others."  
  
"Aren't _we_ lucky..." Cassandra said sarcastically.

The feral man pulled out a mace on a long chain and threw it, latching onto the fleeing caravan. Then he had his rhino slow down just enough to make it taut and stood up to start crossing the metal line.

" _None_ shall enter the Dark Kingdom!" He said aggressively.

"Uh, Cassandra?" Varian called. "He's attached to us and is about to board!"

"What?! Alright, Varian, grab my bow and arrow and meet me on the roof!" Cassandra ordered.

"You _packed_ those?" He started to check her belongings, then grabbed a stool and climbed out of the skylight after he found them. Cassandra helped him up, then took her bow and arrows. "Okay, what's the plan?"

She prepped her bow, then aimed it at the man. "Try to keep my aim stea--"

"CASSIE!" Varian yanked her down and they fell off it onto the back of the caravan, landing in a heap together.

"Varian, what the _hell_?!" She snapped, then gasped as the caravan shook when the other half of it landed on the roof they just left, upside-down. "I...uh..."

"You're welcome." He got up as Eugene poked his head down.

"Hey, good timing! Help me get this thing down, will ya?" Eugene said. Varian nodded and climbed up while Cassandra aimed her bow and arrow at the feral man again. "Alright, on three. One, two, _push_!" He kicked it at the same time Varian pushed it up and the other caravan half went down.

"Thanks!" He hopped onto the other one and took Maximus' reins again.

"Come on! Hit!" Cassandra said as she fired off arrows at the man.

Varian dropped down next to her. "Let me try!"

"I've got this, Varian! Why don't you go use that goo of yours to secure our belongings?" She suggested.

"Right!" He ran inside and pulled out his goo bombs, using them on everything inside the caravan that wasn't nailed down, especially anything fragile.

Someone with white hair came down from above and slashed the chain the man was on in two. He leaped off it and landed on the roof and Varian quickly used a broom to close the skylight.

"Adira." Cassandra said bitterly to the woman on the back of the caravan next to her.

"I see you've gotten yourself into _another_ situation from which I must rescue you!" The woman, Adira, chided, then started to climb up to join the feral man.

"Everything's secure on our side, for the next thirteen hours." Varian said, looking out just as she climbed up. "Who's that?"

"We'll explain later. She's _not_ with him." Cassandra said, drawing her sword. "Come on, get your sword out." She started to climb up.

Varian drew his sword and followed her up. When they got up, Varian realized right away that both these strangers had the same emblem that was on his father's chest and the armor within. He also noted that the feral man's eyes widened with alarm when he joined the fight before they narrowed again as he focused on the others.

"What are you doing up here? It's better I fight on my--who is this?" Adira looked at Varian with surprise. "He's new."

"We'll explain later." Cassandra brushed it aside before Varian could answer.

"He's Quirin's _son_." The feral man answered for them.

Adira looked at him, then Varian. "Wait, when did he..." She shook her head, then quickly blocked an attack from the man before they clashed swords a few times and then jumped between the caravans and into the one below them. Cassandra and Varian dropped back down to join the fight and they all clashed swords with him before he jumped back outside through the other door and onto the roof again. Adira followed him out and Varian and Cassandra watched them go.

"I'm guessing my father never got the DNA strand of a flea that those two must have!" Varian shook his head in disbelief, then went to open the door to the back.

The feral man was landing on his rhino as he opened the door. "You can't protect them, Adira!" He yelled.

"You _know_ this guy?!" Cassandra asked as she stepped out to join Varian.

" _What_ does he _want_?!" Rapunzel cried from the front.

The man must've heard her, because he headed that way, moving alongside and then banging into the side of the caravan.

Ruddiger jolted awake, chittered something, then ran for the door. Varian got his idea and ran over to jump out the door as Ruddiger changed in a flash of light. Then they ran forward, Ruddiger biting the rhino when they caught up while Varian slashed at the rider, distracting him so the caravan could pull ahead.

"Your _form_ is _weak_!" The feral man criticized as he easily blocked him. "Didn't Quirin teach you _anything_?!"

"Are you _kidding_?!" Varian laughed incredulously. "My dad didn't tell me ANYTHING about himself, and _definitely_ not about his past!"

To Varian's surprise, he looked _hurt_ to hear that. He shook it off, though, then grabbed Varian roughly, tanking him off of a quickly-faltering Ruddiger. "Do yourself a favor and follow your father's lead: _Stay away from the Dark Kingdom!_ "

"Let him go!" Adira ran over and kicked the feral man in the face. He let go of Varian in surprise and Adira grabbed him and took him to the recombined caravan, then caught Ruddiger when he changed back with a flash of light. "Stay where you're safe!" She said firmly.

"Varian!" Rapunzel called back. "Secure the other side, please! Hurry!"

Varian grabbed his goo balls from his satchel and started to cover everything in the guys' side with goo.

"Adira, your sword!" Rapunzel said.

"Uh, we're going to run off the cliff!" Varian realized.

"Yeah, I said that earlier." Lance nodded. "By the way, what did I say about _riding off to fight the feral man_?!" 

Varian shrugged. "All secure, Princess, but what's the plan?!"

"Trust me!" She called back.

\--

The feral man walked over to stand at the edge of the cliff, his brow furrowed. The caravan down below looked... _mostly_ intact. "...Quirin, did the Sundrop just kill your son?" He murmured, then shook his head. "No, they might be alive. Let's go find them." He walked off with his beasts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chase is over! But what happened to the travelers?
> 
> ((A/N: Soooo, Windows 10 update trashed my laptop. Again. Husband is gonna see what he can do later but, for now, it's sketchbooks and AO3 drafts for me.
> 
> Also, to you Lucas-lovers, for a sneak-peek for the next chapter and background information on the psycho, head to my Instagram, zonerobotnik!))


	10. Into the Great Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joined by Adira, the group makes their way into the Great Tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"You know, Princess, I'm _starting_ to think 'trust me' is what you say when you have a plan _no one_ will be happy with, so you don't want to actually explain it." Varian said flatly.

The plan, it turned out, was to get wrapped up in magical hair and let the caravan drop off the cliff. Varian suddenly understood why she said to secure everything. They _might_ have a chance of _not being destroyed_ this way. As for the riders and horses, they were currently dangling from a branch as big as the caravan sticking out of the wall, at least 100 feet above the ground, and with only her hair to keep them from falling to their deaths.

"Seriously, there _had to_ be an easier way for us to hang out together. Am I right?" Lance said to Adira, who was hanging next to him at the bottom of the chain of hair and people.

\--

After getting back up, they headed for the Great Tree on foot. "So, who _is_ Adira?" Varian asked as they walked. "And you still haven't introduced us." He looked at Cassandra.

"Right..." Cassandra sighed. "Adira, this is Varian. You might know him as the mastermind behind The Battle of Old Corona. He's also the son of Quirin of Old Corona."

Adira nodded. "Yes, I got his name when you all yelled it for your enemy to hear."

"...Right." Cassandra sighed. "Varian, this is Adira, our infuriatingly cryptic guide towards the Dark Kingdom. She's the one who told us what sent the rocks."

"Adira, hey--" Lance started, and she fast-walked away to get ahead of everyone.

"...Wow." Varian snickered. "I, uh, don't think she's interested, Lance."

"She's just shy." He assured him.

Cassandra rolled her eyes with a smirk, then looked thoughtful. "Hey...earlier, you called me 'Cassie'."

Varian glanced away. "It was slipped out. Don't think anything of it." He fast-walked to catch up to Rapunzel and Eugene, who were leading the group.

"So, you ready to go into a big tree?" Eugene asked playfully.

"As ready as I was for nearly being crushed by a falling caravan while running from a wild man on a rhino." Varian said, chuckling.

"Yeah, wow. You know, two years ago I would've called fighting jackal monsters on the back of a speeding carriage whilst a rhinoceros chases the woman I love absolutely bonkers. Now? I call it Tuesday." Eugene chuckled, then stopped short as they all looked up at a large doorway into the tree.

"Time for some answers." Cassandra said, walking up to them and nodding to Adira, who had sat down to sharpen her black sword while Lance attempted to flirt with her.

"Right." Rapunzel nodded and they all walked over to her. "Adira, wait. Before we go on, we have some questions. Who was that man that attacked us?"

"And none of your usual cryptic runaround this time." Cassandra said firmly.

Adira sighed. "His name is Hector." She gave Cassandra a sharp look. "And I don't think I appreciate your tone."

Before Cassandra could reply, Varian stepped between them. "Okay, so now we know his name. Who _is_ he, and how do you two know my father? What is that emblem?" He gestured to the emblem on her clothes of a circle with three lines between them.

She looked at him with a pained expression. "He never told you?"

"My father made it a point to hide _everything_ from me, even affection." Varian said with his false-cheerful voice.

She looked to the side, then sighed again. "Alright. I'm sure he intended to tell you at some point, but he's always been... difficult." She cleared her throat. "The three of us were members of the Brotherhood, a group of warriors sworn to keep any and all from the Dark Kingdom. Two decades ago, something terrible happened and we all went our seperate ways, with Hector choosing to stay in this tree to continue the mission, while I sought out the Sundrop and your father...well, I don't really know. He said something about a mission and then left. I didn't hear from him again until...well, now."

Varian pursed his lips. "Do you know what happened to him?"

"I have heard many rumors, but I did not get a chance to see for myself. I am...sorry for your loss." She said, her brow furrowed.

"He's not _gone_ , just _stuck_. And I'm going to save him. Let's go on." Varian nodded to the others.

"Hold on, we barely survived just being _chased_ by the guy, now we're going into his home turf?" Eugene frowned. "Look, maybe this isn't a good idea, after all."

"Yeah, going there could be suicide. Besides, I still don't fully trust you." Cassandra said, and Adira frowned.

Varian turned to Rapunzel. "We're going in." He said firmly. "Don't forget our arrangement." He turned and walked off to go inside.

\--

Adira frowned. "'Arrangement'?"

Rapunzel sighed. "It's... complicated. The truth is, we picked him up from a prison barge recently. He's made some...dangerous friends and is holding the safety of Corona hostage to make us escort him to the Moonstone." She wrung her hands nervously. "He intends to take it for himself and use it to free his father."

Her eyes widened and she went inside after him.

Cassandra sighed. "Yep, she didn't like that."

\--

Varian looked at a tree thoughtfully, trying to see the carving behind it. If he climbed up,he might be able to see it. Ruddiger chittered on his shoulder and he stroked his fur gently.

"Nephew."

He looked over at Adira approaching him. "'Nephew'?" 

"Yes. We in the Brotherhood were like family." She nodded. "I called Quirin my brother. Therefore, you are my nephew."

He blinked at her, then shrugged. "Okay, then." He looked back at the carving. "What do you need, Aunt Adira?"

"I implore you to give up on your goal of taking the Moonstone. I was told of your intention to use it, but no one can survive touching it. Our King lost his arm and was very weak when we left the Kingdom. She is not forgiving." She pleaded. "You could lose your life."

"It's the only hope I have left of freeing my father." Varian clutched at the strap of his backback. "I don't care what happens to me, as long as I can free him. It doesn't matter if I die, anyway."

"How can you say that?" She frowned.

He looked at her. "I don't matter. Only my father's freedom. And I swore the night of the storm that anyone who stood in my path of freeing him would pay for it." He walked away from her. "Don't make me your enemy, Aunt Adira."

She didn't reply, her expression unreadable.

"Hey, uh...so, what was the kid looking at here?" Eugene asked as the others stopped by the carving.

"This place gives me the creeps." Cassandra shuddered.

"Me too." Hookfoot agreed.

"That's because this place used to be called The Tree of Zhan Tiri." Adira cut down the tree blocking the carving with her sword to reveal the carving was of a strange creature with a goat head.

Varian walked over to rejoin the others, looking up at the carving with interest.

"Wait, you mean the evil sorcerer whose deadly magic created a blizzard that nearly destroyed Corona?" Rapunzel said anxiously.

"And let's not forget his little art teacher buddy who turned you into a zombie." Eugene reminded her.

Rapunzel paled as she realized why this tree felt so familiar, why she was feeling tapping into her head. Sugracha the Eternal had her painting a similar tree to this one!

"Blizzard?" Varian frowned, stepping closer to the carving.

"Yeah, you know that blizzard you came to the castle in?" Cassandra turned to him. "Turns out it wasn't natural, it was sent by Zhan Tiri. We stopped it with a machine called the Demanitus Device."

"Okay, so this...Zhan Tiri _lived here_?" Varian asked.

"Yes." Adira nodded, sheathing her sword. "But, it's perfectly harmless now." She picked up a dandelion-seed puff. "Millennia ago, this tree was once a sentient being, a force for good. But, it was corrupted by the evil sorcerer to destroy _any_ who approached. It was Zhan Tiri's stronghold. Inside it, he was invincible."

"But then, the old inventor had to ruin the fun, created a spear and sealed away the dark magic in the heart of the tree. Happy ending, right?"

Varian tensed and the others looked confused as they turned to see a stranger leaning against another tree. "Who's that?" Rapunzel frowned.

"It's a _fascinating_ story, definitely one for the kiddos' bedtimes." The man chuckled.

"Lucas." Varian's lips curled. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same question!" He laughed. "Well, well! I thought that you were supposed to be on the sea, but here you are! How fitting, to find a little bird in a tree! It's rather fortunate for me that I decided to come home instead of sticking around Corona!"  
  


"'Come home'?" Cassandra glanced at Adira, who had drawn her sword. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you heard the story." Lucas said casually. "This was Zhan Tiri's stronghold. Everyone of her Disciples lived here." He walked closer to them, his icy-blue eyes flashing green. "I should thank you, Your Highness, for setting us free. I've _greatly_ enjoyed this time period. Haven't I, Varian?"

Varian was tense, his expression cold and his posture aggressive. "Why. Are. You. Here?"

"Well, I had no _reason_ to stay in Corona, certainly not in the Royal Guard, once you left. I'm curious, how did you get _here_? Last I saw, you were shipped off to sea with the rest of them, and yet you're here making threats and bossing around the Princess. Heh." Lucas stopped walking forward and hooked his thumbs into his belt. "Off to get the Moonstone, was it? I suppose you'll be getting revenge on Frederic?"

"Are you going to stop me if I do?" Varian demanded.

"No." He chuckled. "I'm just going to enjoy the show. I _love_ the way you look when you're angry. If you're going to be going through this tree, you might want a proper guide, someone that lived here before. Might I offer my services?"

"No, get lost!" Cassandra snapped.

"Captain's daughter, last I checked, you have no power here." Lucas smirked slyly at her. "I'm speaking to the only two people that _matter_ to me in your little band of misfits."

"We don't need you." Rapunzel moved in front of Varian protectively. "Adira will show us the way."

"Suit yourself. I'll be around if you want my help, just sing my name, little bird." He vanished in a burst of green fire.

"...Was that the 'creepy guard'?" Lance guessed.

Varian nodded quietly.

"Let's move on." Rapunzel suggested.

They started to head up the tree. Varian hung back and Ruddiger nuzzled him reassuringly before he walked on, pausing when he saw Cassandra and Adira talking.

"Look, Adira, you may have sold my friends on you being the wise, but kooky old mentor, but I'm not buying it. I'm _watching_ you." Cassandra said, poking her in the waist aggresively.

"Well, if that's what you want, be my guest." Adira said, walking past her before she paused and looked back with a sly smile. "But, as the Princess's servant, isn't it your _job_ to watch _her_?"

Cassandra looked offended. "I'm _not a_ servant."

"Oh. I thought that's what a lady-in-waiting was." Adira walked on.

Varian saw Cassandra look upset and sighed a bit before he walked over to her. "She's deliberately being mean because you act hostile. You know that, right?"

Cassandra lowered her crossed arms to her sides. "Doesn't make it okay."

"She has a point, though. You're Rapunzel's bodyguard. If you're so busy _looking_ for danger, you won't see it when it really comes for her." He walked on after the others. "Stop making an enemy out of someone trying to help you. Haven't you done that enough last year?"

She winced and watched him go, then quietly followed.

\--

Hector walked up to the caravan, which had landed in the river. He narrowed his eyes and snapped his fingers, his binturongs going in and rustling around before he opened a door and saw things covered in pink stuff, but no one around. "Looks like our job isn't done yet." He said, trying not to feel too relieved.

It looked like Quirin's son still lived.

He kicked the caravan down the river to let out his frustration before he looked up at the tree.

\--

When you didn't take into account that a creepy guy that was apparently a Disciple of Zhan Tiri was lurking around, and that Hector could attack at any moment, this was actually a very pleasant nature walk. Varian paused to examine various flora until Adira gently steered him away from it and Ruddiger scampered alongside the group, looking around and sniffing at the air.

Probably for Lucas, Varian figured.

Eugene and Lance got distracted along the way, but they all figured they'd catch up soon enough.

"So, tell me about my father." Varian said as he walked alongside Adira. "The warrior, not the farmer."

Rapunzel and Cassandra looked over while Hookfoot pretended not to care.

"Well, he was...strict. He was our leader, and kept us in line and on track. Always looked before acting, which is more than Hector could ever say, and quick to scold us if we got into trouble." She smiled fondly. "But, he could be so gentle and kind, too. He was fiercely loyal to the Moonstone, even went in after the King to stop him from taking it."

"So, why would he leave, then?" Varian asked.

"Well...it was a difficult time. We had to evacuate everyone because of a deadly plague caused by the Moonstone, and then our family was falling apart with the King dying and my choosing to find the Sundrop to stop the Moonstone." She pursed her lips. "I... haven't been back since that day. The last time I saw Quirin, he was going into Corona. And, apparently, he started a family." She looked at him. 

Varian nodded. "...I wish he'd told me about you. I asked him what he was hiding for years and it was always 'you're not ready'. Not ready for what? Does he _ever_ plan to tell me?"

Adira sighed. "I can't begin to guess."

\--

They passed through a tunnel with suits of armor along the sides. "Where is the war?" Cassandra asked, looking up at them.

"Were these the armor of Zhan Tiri's people?" Rapunzel asked, stopping to look at one.

"Want me to ask?" Varian asked dryly.

"Uhm, it's not important." Rapunzel walked on.

Ruddiger noticed Pascal and Maximus heading back through and chittered to Varian before pointing at them. "You're going with them?" He asked, and Ruddiger nodded. "Okay, be safe."

Ruddiger scampered off and hopped on Ruddiger's back.

"Where are they going?" Hookfoot asked.

"Probably looking for the other two." Varian shrugged. "They'll catch up."

"It looks like there's something up there." Rapunzel said, and they looked over to see Adora slashing a vine out of the way before she led them into a large room with writings on the wall and a pool of water in the middle.

Varian gasped as he looked up. "This writing! It's the same as on my dad's graphtych!" He looked around and pointed up. "That, right there! Exactly like it!"

Rapunzel looked up at it, then pulled out the scroll pieces to check. Varian was right, they were the same - with one small detail. The scroll had a castle surrounded by rocks on it, not just rocks.

He looked over at her and frowned. "What's that?"

Rapunzel looked at him. "Varian, uhm, I've been collecting the rest of the scroll. I planned to show it to you once I had the final piece." She held them out to him and he walked over to accept them. "This is called the Demanitus Scroll. This is special code that he made to conceal his secrets."

He looked them over, put the sun and moon pieces together, then looked up. "Then...then, he must've done the writings up there, too." He handed them back.

Rapunzel nodded. "Hey, Eugene, look at--" She paused. "Varian, did you see where Eugene and Lance went?"

"No idea, but the animals are on it." Varian assured her.

"Raps, check this out!" Cassandra called. They walked over to see her holding up a scroll. "Look familar?"

Rapunzel took the scroll and Varian looked over her shoulder. "'Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine'... It's the healing incantation for the Sundrop."

"So, that other one must be an incantation for the Moonstone." Varian guessed, looking up. "Looking at what's below it...maybe to control the rocks?"

"There's other scrolls here." Adira said,and Varian went over to join her.

"Maybe there's something here that can free my father." He said hopefully.

\--

Eugene and Lance were having an... _interesting_ time. They were dancing around like madmen and singing in a deranged way towards certain doom, sliding around on large vines and narrowly avoiding being caught by little vines.

"You know," Lucas mused as he watched them, "I _almost_ want to let them get eaten. I mean, who is _that_ careless in a demon's stronghold, even an abandoned one?"

The vines caught them when they stopped and he watched as they got carried over to hang over the gaping mouth of the flower that opened up, tongue wriggling in anticipation.

"Hmm...I wonder if my little bird would mourn you?" Lucas chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really, who is THAT careless?
> 
> ((A/N: So, uh...my external harddrive may or may not be corrupted, I don't know yet. Hopefully not, because I don't want to lose literal years of...well, stuff. In the mean,I'm gonna distract myself from the dumpster fire that is my life, stuff my face with Nutella, and keep bringing you this story chapter by chapter.
> 
> Also, Lucas has a face now! Traditional art because...yeah.))


	11. Wither

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel finds a new incantation, which has some interesting results!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Rapunzel let out a sigh as she looked up from a scroll she was reading. "I don't believe it."

"What? What is it?" Hookfoot asked.

"It's another incantation!" Rapunzel revealed.

"Another Sundrop incantation?" Cassandra asked.

"No..." Rapunzel frowned.

"The Moonstone, then?" Varian walked over to her to look over her shoulder. "The same person translated this one." He murmured.

"The Sundrop's power was to heal." Cassandra looked towards the pictures non the wall. "What's the Moonstone's?"

Varian frowned. "Wait, maybe you shouldn't test it out." He said as Rapunzel walked away from him. "Rapunzel!"

"Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains, and set the spirit free." Rapunzel paused, checked her hair, then shrugged before repeating it. "Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains, and set the spirit free."

This time, something happened. A flower died, and the ground and walls started to turn blue. "Uhhh, Raps?" Cassandra said nervously.

"Rapunzel, stop!" Varian said firmly.

She seemed to be in a trance, and then her hair turned black and broke free of its braids, drifting in the air like it was alive as she started to sing the incantation.

Varian clenched his fists as everyone fell to their knees around him, begging her to stop as they gasped for air. He glared at a lock of hair that was near him and pushed it aside as he angrily stormed over.

"Varian! Stop!" Cassandra coughed.

"If you get too close--" Adira started.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Varian yelled, moving in front of Rapunzel. "CAN'T YOU SEE YOU'RE--What happened to your eyes?! They're black like ink!"

He looked past her at the others and then raised his clenched fist before he opened it and then pulled his hand back to slap her across the race. She fell into the water, her hair returning to normal, as he watched his glove burn away, leaving his uninjured hand exposed to the open air.

"Varian!" Cassandra yelled angrily.

"Oww..." Rapunzel whimpered.

"That was my mother's glove!" Varian fumed. "Are you _awake_ now, Princess?!"

"Uhm...uh-huh." She slowly got up. 

"Does it hurt?" He asked. She nodded. "Good. Rapunzel, do you remember when I asked about my father's past and Aunt Adira mentioned the Moonstone _creating a plague_? Congratulations, you just recreated that plague!"

Rapunzel hung her head. "I'm sorry, everyone."

Varian sighed and looked at his bare hand before he stormed over to take off his backpack and get his spare gloves out, putting the remaining one into the backpack where it'd be safe.

"How did you do that?" Adira asked him while everyone else went to Rapunzel's side.

"Do what?" Varian asked as he fastened his spare gloves on.

"Touch her. You should have lost the use of your hand. And the plague didn't affect you at all?" Adira's brow furrowed.

"I have no idea, Aunt Adira, I'm still processing it all myself." He replied. "I can't _believe_ she just...she _needs_ to _listen_ to me!"

Adira looked thoughtful, then looked towards where Cassandra was fussing over Rapunzel's cheek.

\--

Lance laughed. "Hey, buddy, y'know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say we're about to get eaten by a flower!"

"You are spot-on, and it looks like I'm going in headfirst!" Eugene laughed. "Well, I guess this is goodbye, huh?"

"Not these ones, my sweet." They heard someone say, and then the vines lifted them up higher so they could see Lucas standing by the flower.

"Oh, haha, it's that guy that creeps Varian out!" Eugene said, laughing.

"Look at _you_ , too much of the happy-dust, hm? Darling, why don't you drop them over there. I found you something better." Lucas cooed.

Eugene and Lance got dropped on the ground and then they blacked out. When they came to, the flower was closed again, the vines were still and Lucas was leaning over them.

"Uh...what happened?" Eugene asked.

"You were almost eaten by a flower. I considered letting it happen, but then they'd be too distracted with their grief to be entertaining." He looked up as the animals all came in. "Oh, look. Your ride back is here."

Ruddiger ran up to them and chattered angrily at Lucas. "Calm down, I was _helping_ them. They almost got eaten by that flower, see?" He gestured to it. Ruddiger gave an "I'm watching you" motion and then went to nudge Eugene and Lance into getting up.

"I know you were all...'buddying', but did you feel that wave of energy earlier?" Lucas asked, getting up.

"Uh...no?" Eugene frowned.

"You might want to go rejoin the princess. See you around, don't fall for any more traps." He vanished in a burst of green flame.

"You know, all that spontaneous combustion he keeps doing is gonna burn this tree down." Lance commented.

"Let's get back." Eugene said as they got up fully and held onto Maximus so he could lead their woozy selves to the others.

\--

"Eugene!" Rapunzel cried with relief when they came into the scroll room. "You're back!"

"Rapunzel! What's UP?" He then collapsed with Lance.

"Eugene?!" She ran over to check on him.

Cassandra checked on them. "They just passed out. They're fine, Raps." She assured her.

Varian looked up from the scroll he was reading. "What do you think happened to them?"

"We'll have to ask when they wake up." Rapunzel sighed. "For now, uhm...we'll just have to wait."

\--

After they woke up, they continued on through the tree. "I get he did it to wake you up, but couldn't he have used a gentler method? This is going to bruise!" Eugene said with concern as he looked at Rapunzel's cheek.

"I-It's fine. It's a reminder to not cause another plague." Rapunzel nodded. "We're fine, really. He was upset, and worried, that's all. He told me it might be bad and, well, he was right!" She chuckled awkwardly.

Eugene sighed and looked back at Varian, who was looking distracted by their surroundings at they walked.

\--

Late in the night, they stopped at a platform and finally rested their weary legs. Eugene walked over and looked over the edge. "Whoa! Whoa. It's a long way down." He sat down.

"I guess this means we're at the halfway point." Rapunzel said encouragingly.

"I suggest we camp out here for the night." Adira said, looking weary herself.

"No way." Cassandra insisted. "We are getting out of this tree as soon as possible."

"Cassandra, unless you want to single-handedly carry _all_ of us, that's not happening." Varian shook his head.

"Cass," Rapunzel walked over to her, "we could use the rest."

"Rapunzel, this place almost got us _killed_ an hour ago!" Cassandra insisted.

"It wasn't this place, it was Rapunzel not listening to warnings!" Varian frowned. "It was whoever wrote the translation that got her to read it, _not_ this place!"

Cassandra frowned. "How do we know that wasn't _Adira's_ handwriting? She could have set us up for--"

"DID ADIRA KIDNAP PRINCESS RAPUNZEL AND LOCK HER IN A TOWER FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS?!" He roared, and Cassandra flinched back. "You're _smarter_ than _that_ , Cassandra. You _know_ who translated those incantations."

Cassandra sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm just...this place freaks me out."

"How do you think _I_ feel, I've got _Lucas_ watching my every move again! But we're all tired, so we're going to rest. If you're _that_ concerned, we can take shifts guarding, okay?" He sat down and sighed, stroking Ruddiger's fur when he climbed into his lap.

"Cassandra, we're staying the night here. We're all too tired to keep walking." Rapunzel said, nodding.

"...I'll take first watch, then." Cassandra nodded.

Lance took off his vest. "Hey, Varian." He tossed it to him.

"Oof! Geez what do you have in your _pockets_ , a _boo_ \--hey, when did you?" He pulled his "Flynnigan Rider" book out of the vest pocket.

Lance grinned. "Enjoy!"

Varian settled down to read, while Adira prepared food for everyone.

\--

Rapunzel sighed as she curled up against the wall. She hated it, had been trying to deny it to herself, but Varian was right. Gothel had to have learned the incantation from somewhere, and the handwriting on the other incantation was the same. Gothel had been here, possibly more than once, in her long, long life. She had no idea of how long Gothel had lived.

"You're looking kind of _glum_ , Your Highness." Lucas said from beside her.

She gasped and quickly got up. "Where did you come from?!"

"Thin air." Lucas chuckled. "Relax, I don't mean you any harm. I'm off-duty." He winked at her. "And I don't target girls."

Rapunzel looked around and realized no one else had noticed him yet. "... Eugene and Lance told me that you saved them. Thank you."

"Moping and crying never makes for a decent show." He shrugged. "So, what's got you so sad, hm?"

"Hey, Blond--WHOA!" Eugene ran over to them. "What do you want now?!"

"To talk." Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Is that not allowed? You come in my house and expect me to ignore you're here?"

Eugene sighed. " _Just_ talk?"

"Just talk." Lucas nodded.

Eugene looked at Rapunzel, who smiled reassuringly. "...Alright." He nodded. "But I'm staying right here."

"Cassandra should be doing that, shouldn't she?" Lucas mused. "Ah well, she's got her own issues."

Rapunzel took a deep breath, then let it go. "Did Gothel ever come here?"

"'Come here'? Shoot, that dame used to _live_ here before we all got evicted." Lucas chuckled. "She probably came back a few times, yeah."

"Evic--Gothel was a Disciple of Zhan Tiri?" Rapunzel asked.

"Sure was." He hummed. "Hear she's dead now, though. Ah well, she lived a long life." He shifted his foot a bit. "Looks like my little bird is giving me the Look of Death. I'll leave you be." He walked off and jumped into the abyss.

"What did _he_ want?" Varian asked as he came over to her.

"Uhm...just to talk, I guess." Rapunzel shrugged.

"Hm." Varian looked at where he went warily.

\--

Honestly, she'd almost forgotten. After so long on the road together, Cassandra had almost forgotten about the woman that trapped Rapunzel for all of her formative years, forcing her to keep her young. She hadn't thought they would be finding reminders of her kidnapping out here, but there it was, right on paper. Rapunzel didn't say anything so she didn't think about it, but Varian had put two and two together and realized that it must've been Gothel. 

She'd been so focused on protecting Rapunzel from the physical that she didn't even think she'd have to protect her from the memories, from the metaphorical ghost of the woman that hurt her. And this place was _full_ of reminders of unpleasant things.

The art class had been traumatic for Rapunzel, though she'd kept quiet about it. Lance had also been through the experience, though he, like Rapunzel, hid his pain behind a smile.

And then there was Adira. She wasn't a reminder, well she _kind_ _of_ was one of the original quest, but she was a wild card. She had sworn to protect the Dark Kingdom, but she wanted to destroy the Moonstone. She was a sister to Varian's father and the feral man Hector, and Varian's aunt, though neither of them seemed to know what to do with with the revelation besides Varian asking questions about his father, questions to answers he'd been longing to know.

From what she was gathering, the Quirin Varian knew and the Quirin Adira knew were vastly different. It was like Varian had been raised by an evil twin or something, or maybe they just didn't know the man. Not that Cassandra knew him at all, she had seen him maybe once or twice and the big thing that stuck out to her was Varian's hurt expression when he scolded him with a disappointed tone without even hearing him out beyond an apology. Varian had then attempted to reach him, but his father had moved on and walked away while Varian started to literally pick up the pieces of his invention which, if Eugene was to be believed, was brilliant. Hot, running water? No more heating water over a fire and carrying it to the bath? No more cold showers? If he could actually get it to _work_...

But, that was his problem, wasn't it? Something always went wrong, one wrong variable - a loose screw, a digit, a broken promise, a drunk, old man, piercing, black rocks - always destroyed his efforts and he was left picking up the pieces, literally or metaphorically.

And then there was her. She didn't know why Rapunzel would bring her, if not to protect and serve her. That was her purpose, her role, why...

To be completely honest, she hadn't wanted to come. She hadn't wanted to leave Corona and the life she knew. She'd left out of duty, she'd joined Rapunzel to keep her safe, it was the King's order.

The King's order. The King's order had put Varian in chains instead of rehab, with sickening scars on his back and sharp, piercing screams that woke them up in the middle of the night. The King's order had put a grieving, desperate child under heavily-guarded house-arrest until he lost his mind and committed treason to try to get his life, his only family, back. The King's order had ended countless lives for little crimes because a grieving father with too much power blamed every criminal for his daughter's disappearance. The King's order had uprooted a flower and caused a sentient rock in another Kingdom to respond in a way meant to protect the place the Sundrop stood, and then try to reach her to call her to it.

The King's order had locked a traumatized daughter in a tower only a year after she escaped the one she'd been trapped in for eighteen years. Had, according to Rapunzel quietly confiding in her, intended to lock a fifteen-year-old genius practically-orphaned boy underground for the rest of his life as a slave to the Crown.

But, Cassandra wasn't just here because of the King's order. She was here because Rapunzel wanted her to be here. She was here for the same reason Lance and Eugene and Hookfoot were here. She was here, probably, as a friend.

She looked over at her and gasped, seeing Lucas leaving. She quickly got up and went to her. "What happened, where did he come from, are you hurt?!"

"Caaaass, I'm fine!" Rapunzel assured her. "We were just talking. Apparently, uhm, Gothel used to work for Zhan Tiri! Hah, isn't that funny?!"

She was not fine. Cassandra noticed Varian standing nearby and realized that, while she'd been moping, he'd probably been making sure Lucas left her alone.

She frowned a bit; it was _her_ role to keep creeps away from Rapunzel. And yet, she'd been failing left and right, letting Varian get close to her despite knowing his intentions, letting Adira even though she was an unknown.

"...Yeah. Funny." She finally said, her brow furrowed.

"Yeah, it's... it's like, no matter what, I can't get away." Rapunzel's voice was shaking now and Cassandra sat next to her as Eugene sat on her other side. "Wh-What if that dream back then was right? What if she's not really gone?"

"Lucas confirmed she was dead, and he has no reason to lie for her. He's a creep but an honest one." Varian assured her. "The most you have to fear is her ghost hanging around, but you've never seen that, right?"

"R-Right." Rapunzel nodded.

"So, relax. She's just a memory now." He walked off to get back to his book.

"...I _really_ can't figure that kid out." Eugene frowned.

Rapunzel and Cassandra nodded, and then Cassandra got up. "I gotta get back to my patrol."

"Oh, uhm...be safe." Rapunzel nodded.

Cassandra walked off, glaring at Adira as she passed her.

\--

Rapunzel sighed. "Hey, Eugene, has Cass seemed a little... _tense_ to you?"

"Uh, you mean any more than _usual_?" Eugene raised an eyebrow. "I mean, she's _always_ been angry, impatient and brooding, not to mention _distrustful_."

"I-I know, but I thought she was feeling a little better. But, ever since we left the island...no, even before that, it's been hard to connect with her." Rapunzel admitted.

"Let me put it this way." Eugene stretched out a bit. "Have you _ever_ had a normal conversation with her _dad_? She was raised by one of the strictest, meanest, most spiteful guys I know, and I know a _lot_ of guys. Frankly, if _I_ hadn't done anything but was being detained for weeks by that guy and his goons, _I'd_ probably consider going into crime, too."

"What do you mean?" Rapunzel looked at him.

"I mean, Varian said it himself, he was dodging the Captain's sword for _weeks_." Eugene sighed. "Cap probably taught Cassandra to act like every unknown is an enemy and to not trust _anyone_ with a criminal reputation. I used to be a thief, so she doesn't trust me. Plus, I'm dating the princess which is," he did air-quotes, "'suspicious', because I must have 'ulterior motives'. And then there's Adira, who is an unknown. She at least knows what Varian is planning, he's made it pretty clear: Get the Moonstone, save his dad, and probably beat the crap out of your dad and, frankly, I see no reason to stop him from getting a few hits in. No teenager's back should look like a scratched up tree-trunk."

Rapunzel nodded, looking guilty. "You're right..."

"As for Cass? She's the same as she's always been. She's always 'on-duty', Sunshine, I don't think she _knows_ how to relax. I mean, we've certainly been trying to _teach_ her and she's been _kind of_ learning, but she's gone full bodyguard mode here and, honestly, I don't blame her." Eugene got up. "Come on, smells like food's about ready."

Rapunzel nodded and got up with him. "I just wish she would _talk_ to me."

"Not everyone wants to, and pushing only makes it worse." Eugene said gently. "But, if you want to try anyway, well..." He nodded towards Cassandra.

Rapunzel nodded and walked over to sit next to where Cassandra was sitting. "Done with patrol?"

"Nothing to report." Cassandra sighed.

"That's...not why I'm here." Rapunzel sighed. "I know you're upset about us taking Adira's advice."

"It's not _just_ Adira." Cassandra sighed. "I can understand when you don't have a choice because of Varian holding our home hostage, but even _before_ we picked him up, you've been..." She looked to the side. " _When_ did you stop trusting my judgement?"

Rapunzel sighed and moved in front of her. "Cass, you are _so_ important to me, and the closest thing I will _ever_ have to a big sister. I value your advice more than _anyone's_. But, as future Queen, I _have_ to think about what is best for _everyon_ e. I already screwed up once as Queen for one day, and I'm trying to learn to be a better one. And that means listening to advice from _everyone_ , not just you, and sometimes I have to think for _myself_ on what to do." She took her hands gently. "So, I ask you, please start trusting _my_ judgement. Because, listening to others instead of myself is what put Varian behind bars for months at my father's mercy. I need to start trusting _my_ judgement, and I hope you will do the same."

Cassandra looked down at her, then over at Varian, who was curled up with his book again, lost in the adventures that filled his childhood before it was ripped away from him by an accident and a King who didn't care about him beyond making him a useful tool.

She sighed and looked back at Rapunzel. "Okay, Raps. I trust you."

Rapunzel smiled and hugged her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to rest for the night and set out tomorrow!
> 
> ((A/N: Good news, my husband fixed my computer and harddrive! Question: Who wants me to make a digital, colored version of Lucas' picture in the previous chapter and replace the traditional one with it?))


	12. Evil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knowing the danger, they press on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Cassandra sighed as she sat apart from the others, watching for any danger. She was supposed to be keeping Rapunzel out of danger from everything, even herself, the King had said. Her father was _counting on her_ to make sure this trip went smoothly. She scoffed a bit, thinking of how he'd probably be disappointed in her if he saw her traveling with _Varian_ now, and not putting _chains_ on him.  
  
Chains...he never should've been put in them. He was just a kid, a lonely, desperate kid that everyone overlooked. Even her. She was no better than the King, she looked at his skills and instantly thought "I can use this". She made a promise she didn't intend to keep so he could help her attain her goal, then broke his heart and bandaged it with a blue ribbon that he'd only not gotten because his assistant had...well, nearly killed the judge. The assistant that _should_ have been _her_. Some apology.  
  
She heard footsteps approaching her and looked up, her hand on her sword, before she relaxed. "...Varian." She sighed, letting go of her sword. "I thought you were Lucas or Hector."  
  
"You need to learn my footsteps. Trust me, memorizing footsteps could save your life." He sat down next to her. "How's patrol?"  
  
"Quiet." She sighed. "Can't sleep?"  
  
"Don't normally sleep." He reminded her. "And especially not after all I learned today."  
  
"Hah, yeah. An aunt, an uncle, your dad having a secret past as a warrior and now you're in a demon tree with..." She made a vague motion. "Who is Lucas, to you? He said he was in the Royal Guard."  
  
Varian sighed, tugging at his glove. Cassandra watched the motion, her brow furrowing. "And why do you wear _gloves_ all the time? You replaced the missing one pretty quick."  
  
He glanced at her. "Well...Lucas was part of the group that corralled me for weeks, and then one of the brutal High-Security guards. He was always cruel, but treated it like it was a game to him, like a cat batting at a mouse because it was too full to eat but still wanted to hunt."  
  
She cringed. "So...him being here must be pretty upsetting to you."  
  
"Yeah." He nodded. "I won't feel safe until we leave this tree." He admitted.  
  
"So...what about the gloves?" She gestured to them.  
  
He closed his eyes. "I don't know. My dad, for as long as I can remember, has told me to always wear gloves and never, ever take them off. I've always been wearing gloves from when I could walk, and I learned to walk pretty quickly. I always thought it was just one more rule, right up there with 'don't talk about your mom' and 'don't touch the rocks'. Which...I _listened_ to, until the Princess asked me to help her figure them out. And, you know,"  
  
"She's the princess." They said in unison, then sighed.  
  
"But, you know...earlier..." He looked down. "When everyone else was collapsing, _dying_ , I just...I didn't feel a _thing_. I mean, not _emotion-wise_ , I definitely felt some emotions, but...you know? No pain. No... _dying_. And it's been bugging me ever since. Why _wasn't_ I affected? Does it have to do with my dad _hiding things_ from me? Why did he never tell me he could _fight_ , and that he was a _trained warrior_?" He sighed and wrapped his arms around himself. "I feel like I never knew him at all."  
  
Cassandra frowned thoughtfully. "...I don't know. Why doesn't he want you to talk about your mom?"  
  
"It's..." He sighed. "It's complicated."  
  
"What do you mean?" Cassandra asked.  
  
Varian sighed. "My...mother disappeared when I was three years old. She went on a trip and, when I was four years old, her traveling companion came back with mom's bag, apologized, then left forever. Ever since, dad closed up all her belongings in a locked room, hid the family portrait in his room and told me to not talk abut her, It's...part of why he disapproves of my doing alchemy. It was...her thing." He took off his goggles and held them close. "I think he gave up on trying to get me to stop and just accepted that it's _my_ thing, too."  
  
Cassandra looked down. "...Honestly, I don't know anything about _my_ mom. Or _dad_. The Captain...he's my _adopted_ father. He adopted me when I was five years old, after my mother abandoned me. Ever since, I've been trying to prove that I'm worth the effort of taking me in, trying to be a dutiful daughter and someone that he can be proud of. And I don't even remember my mother's face, or her voice. Trauma of being abandoned, I guess. I was brought to the castle in tears."  
  
"You never mentioned the adopted thing." Varian said, looking at her.  
  
"Yeah, well...you're the second person I've ever told. The first was Eugene, believe it or not. Rapunzel got us stuck together to try to work out our differences and it just kind of...came out." She sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest. "...How are you taking all this, really? Your heritage and everything?"  
  
"I don't know." He sighed, putting his goggles back on. "I guess I wish I'd known all this sooner? That I'd gotten to meet Aunt Adira sooner, maybe even Uncle Hector...but, because of my dad, I'm meeting them now, when I'm..." He clutched at his arms tightly. "When I've been torn up and kicked down and...can't trust _anyone_." His voice broke and he hung his head. "Wh- _Why_ does the King _hate_ me so much? What did I ever _do_ to him?"  
  
Cassandra lowered her legs to dangle over the edge again, then sighed and reached out to pull him closer to her. He tensed, but didn't fight it. "I don't know, kid." She said, gently rubbing his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "But...I'm sure Rapunzel plans to get to the bottom of it. I mean..." She sighed. "Well...he's...it's _not_ just you, you know? He just...I heard his _father_ was _terrible_ , but _he_ was a pretty good King until, well...Losing Rapunzel....no, almost losing Queen Arianna changed him, and then he lost Rapunzel, and then...then I guess he overreacted to your shaking Rapunzel. Especially since Nigel said that you _attacked_ her, so..."  
  
"About that." He looked at her. " _Why_ did you just let me get dragged out that night? Why didn't you _help_ me?"  
  
She looked down. "You know...I asked myself that so many times after we met you again. I...think I know what it is, though. Growing up, I was told the Royal Family and the Royal Advisor were...well, their word was absolute. To challenge it was...well, _treason_. And I had to stay by Princess Rapunzel's side, as her Lady-in-Waiting and bodyguard." She looked at him. "The truth is, I could give plenty of excuses, including the fact that if we'd left with you than the blizzard would've destroyed Corona, but the truth is that I didn't _know_ what to do. Everything was happening at once and then you came in and added to it and Rapunzel was breaking down and I was trying to keep her from falling apart while feeling panicked myself - especially since, shortly before you arrived, Eugene and the others left to go help the King and Queen, who had encountered trouble, so we were _all_ worried about _that.._."  
  
Varian sighed. "Yeah, I...I heard about that, when I tried to come back the next day. I thought that maybe, since things had calmed down, I could get hellp, but...then I got...a rock thrown at me. And then fruit. Then I was being called a traitor and a menace and accused of attacking the Princess and no one would _listen_ to me, and I...I could only run, especially when a guard came out looking...angry. I didn't know what they were talking about, but I knew it was dangerous and so I ran. I tried again the next day, thinking maybe Rapunzel had cleared things up, but it was more of the same. I just wanted to get help from... _anyone_!"  
  
He pulled away, getting up. "But, no one helped. And then, a week after the storm, your father and Lucas and the others came in matching iron masks and blood-red tunics and swords. It was a twisted game of tag, where my home was 'home-base' and I was never the tagger and I could only go so far into the woods to get food before they drove me back in. That went on for _weeks_ before I finally managed to send a message to Rapunzel."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us you were in danger? Why tell us to get the graphtych?" Cassandra stood up and turned to him.  
  
"...Do you _honestly_ think that I thought that, if I asked her to come for _me_ , that she _would_? By that time, I had given up hope of her caring about me enough to even check up on me, much less _save me_. So I told her about something else that she would undoubtedly go for." Varian chuckled sadly. "I _did_ intend to reveal myself and go with you, but...you came while I was still outside...and Lucas caught me before I could go in. He shoved me behind a building while you got chased out, graphtych in hand." He rubbed at his arm.  
  
"I'm sorry." Cassandra reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "That can't have been easy."  
  
"Yeah..." He sighed, then tensed and grabbed his sword before he spun around. Cassandra ducked to the side in alarm and then realized that he was blocking a sword that had stopped short of where she had been standing. A sword coming from the glove of Hector.  
  
"I told you to _stay out_!" He growled.  
  
"Yeah, well, I've never been good at following orders." Varian said as Cassandra drew her sword. Ruddiger ran over and growled at the two beasts next to Hector.  
  
"Something your father should've _worked on_ with you." Hector growled, then slammed a kick into Varian's stomach before he could realize what he was doing. He hit the ground a few feet away, groaning in pain. "I'll spare _him_ , but the _rest_ of you? Well, you couldn't take a hint, so now I gotta finish you." He slashed at Cassandra, who quickly blocked it with her sword.  
  
"Leave them alone, Hector." Adira said, walking over to help Varian up. "Let them through."  
  
He scoffed and kicked Cassandra back the same way he'd knocked Varian away. "As if I'll listen to you!" He turned to her. "You're a _traitor_ , and I promised you long ago that I'd _end_ you if I ever saw you here again."  
  
"Would my _father_ stand by and let you kill her?" Varian asked, stepping between them. Hector stepped back, as if he'd been struck. "Or would he stop you?"  
  
"Hector, please." Adira said, and Hector looked at her. "He needs the Moonstone to save Quirin. He's trapped."  
  
His brow furrowed. " _Even_ if I were to let you, he'd only _die_ upon contact with it!"  
  
"Maybe not." Adira stepped forward. "When the Sundrop used her connection to the Moonstone to try out a spell, he was not affected by the ensuing plague. He _touched_ her and did not lose his hand. Hector, I went to seek out the Sundrop, yes, and I brought her, but what if Quirin had _another_ solution in mind?"  
  
"What?" Varian looked at her.  
  
She didn't look at him, her gaze on Hector. "The last time I saw Quirin, he said something about a mission and _left_. Now his _son_ is here with an apparent _immunity_ to the Moonstone's power."   
  
"What are you _implying_ , sister?" He rolled his eyes. " _Enough_ being cryptic."  
  
"Alright, _fine_." She walked over to Rapunzel, who had gotten up with everyone else and prepared to fight. "The _Sundrop_ has a human host. What if _the Moonstone_ has one, too?"  
  
Varian looked over at her incredulously. " _Excuse_ me?"  
  
Hector looked at Varian and walked closer to him. Cassandra started to move between them and Varian held up a hand to halt her. "He's already made it clear he won't hurt me." He told her. "Stay by the Princess."  
  
Hector barely paid Cassandra a glance and stopped in front of Varian, retracting his blade into his glove. "...How old are you?"  
  
"Fifteen." Varian frowned.  
  
"Huh." He reached up a hand to the stripe in Varian's hair. "How, uh...how _long_ have you had this?"  
  
"I'm pretty sure I was born with it. Is this _important_?" Varian crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"It _might_ be...when the Dark Kingdom fell, we were all hit with a wave of energy from the Moonstone. Quirin was right next to it with the King, but he didn't lose his hand or anything." Hector mused. "I hate to admit it, but Adira might be _right_."  
  
Varian stepped back. "Uh, _what_?!"  
  
\--  
  
Lucas watched them from above, leaning on a vine wrapped around the pillar. "Enough _talking_." He chuckled and slid down the tree to land next to the heart, which pulsed weakly under the spear. "Time for some _screaming_." He reached out and pulled the spear free.  
  
The tree started to shake, a low rumbling sounding as loose pieces of rubble started to shake free and fall loose. "Ohhh, nice."  
  
Glowing vines reached for him and he reached out to let them wrap around his body like armor as more glowing vines crept up the tree. " ** _This_ should be _fun._** "  
  
\--  
  
"Uh, what's that rumbling?" Eugene said as they all looked around.  
  
"Oh no." Adira and Hector said in unison.  
  
"'Oh no'?" Cassandra questioned.  
  
Vines started to creep up at them and they all moved closer together to get away from them. "What happened?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"The spear was removed!" Adira explained. "But, who could have--"  
  
"Lucas!" Varian groaned. "I _knew_ him being here was bad news!"  
  
"Did I hear my little birdy call my name?" They all looked over aggressively as Lucas landed in front of them, vines wrapped around him and a spear in his hands. He tossed it to the side casually and chuckled. "Honey, I'm _home_."  
  
"You _know_ this guy?" Hector asked.  
  
"Oh, yes," Lucas answered for Varian, "you could even say we're... _intimately_ _acquainted_."  
  
"He's _lying_ , he didn't do _anything_ like that to me!" Varian said, but Hector had already charged forward with a yell, his blade out, with Adira right behind him.  
  
Lucas threw green fire at them and they dodged it, and then the glowing vines started to attack people.  
  
"We need to get the spear!" Rapunzel said, pointing to it.  
  
"I'm on it!" Shorty said, going towards it before he got wrapped up in vines and held aloft. "Oh, hello, Mr. Plant."   
  
The vines continued to attack them and they were forced to move closer together still. Varian pulled out an alchemy ball from his backpack and threw it, acid cutting into the vines and making them writhe before they regenerated. "Uh, okay, _that's_ not gonna work!" Varian said, then yelped as a vine caught him around the waist and lifted him into the air.  
  
"Varian!" Rapunzel cried, reaching for him as he was pulled away from her.  
  
"Nice of you to join me, my sweet little bird." Lucas said as Varian was brought up to him, Adira and Hector struggling with their own vines. "You know, it's _so_ nice to have you all to myself. I gotta say, every time the King took you away, I felt _so_ jealous. I had to stay and watch your cellmates, while the King got to hear your _delicious_ cries of pain!"  
  
"Well, if it makes you _feel_ better, he didn't hear me scream or cry _once_." Varian struggled with the vine.  
  
\--  
  
"We can't get to the spear!" Rapunzel cried, then let down her hair. "But, maybe _this_ will help."  
  
"'This'?" Cassandra asked, then yelped as she was grabbed by a glowing vine.  
  
Rapunzel took a deep breath and then threw her hair at the vines, letting them catch it. "Wither and decay. End this destiny."  
  
She gasped as she found herself caught by more vines. "No!" She struggled to break free. "Break these--ow!"  
  
"Raps!" Cassandra cried, trying to break free.  
  
Everyone was caught, there didn't seem to be a way out of this! She couldn't _sing,_ because she could barely _breathe_!  
  
"Wither and decay." Rapunzel gasped and looked over at Varian, who had removed his gloves and was gripping the vine around his waist as he spoke. "End this destiny. Break these earthly chains and set the spirit free." He gasped and gripped the vine tighter as the stripe in his hair started to glow, as well as his hands.  
  
" _Fascinating_." Lucas said, watching him.  
  
Varian tensed, his body trembling. "You...wanted to hear me _sing_ , Lucas?" He glared at him before he started to sing. " _Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains and set the spirit free._ _The Spirit free."  
  
_ Despite the vines turning black and starting to die, dropping their captives to the floor, Lucas only laughed and then turned into a green flame before he flew off, pausing in a green, floating form to look back at them. "I'll see you again, my little bird. You sing the song of death _so_ _beautifully._ Until later."  
  
The vine holding Varian dropped him and the area was still shaking. Varian's eyes and hair were glowing as he sat on the ground, still singing as if in a trance. Rapunzel got up and ran over to throw her arms around him, "Varian, it's okay! It's over!"  
  
"Uh, hold that thought." Adira said, grabbing the spear and jumping down to the Heart.  
  
Shortly after, the shaking stopped and she came back up to find Varian had collapsed against Rapunzel, his hair back to normal and Ruddiger pawing at him anxiously.  
  
"...So..." Lance cleared his throat. "...Does this mean we can go through?"  
  
"It means I'm escorting you." Hector said, pulling his blade back into his glove and letting out a heavy sigh. "Quirin, you're _still_ giving me orders even when you're not here."  
  
Adira walked over to him. "...Hector."  
  
"I'm _still_ mad at you for betraying us, Adira." He said firmly. "But..." he sighed, "I can _forgive_ you, for Quirin's sake."  
  
Eugene brought over Varian's gloves and quietly put them back on him. "...So...we should...move on."  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "Yeah."  
  
Cassandra walked over and lifted Varian into her arms before draping him over Fidella's saddle and securing him on. "Lead the way, Hector."  
  
\--  
  
They left the tree and found the caravan at the bank of the river. Eugene went in to check on everything and looked out. "That kid has some really good stuff. Everything's intact!"  
  
"Why is the caravan over here?" Adira asked.  
  
"I may of...uhm... _kicked it_." Hector glanced away.  
  
Varian let out a groan and Hector went over to unfasten him from the saddle and taking him down off the horse and into his arms. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Ugh...I have a whopping headache and my hands feel tingly, but I'm otherwise okay." He slowly opened his eyes, then groaned. "Tell the sun to go away."  
  
"Okay, we'll let you rest inside." Eugene chuckled, helping Varian up and to the caravan as it was pushed onto the road by Lance and Hookfoot. "Uh, Adira, Hector, we don't have _room_ to--"  
  
"We don't need to sleep in the caravan." Adira said calmly. "We will escort you from outside."  
  
Hector whistled and his beasts came running, including the rhino. He climbed up onto the rhino and Adira got up onto the roof of the caravan.  
  
"Right." Rapunzel nodded. "Let's keep going!"  
  
Varian sighed and then looked up as Cleo flew over. He took the attached letter and a mirror dangling from Cleo's leg and then stroked her feathers affectionately before he went inside and she sat on the roof with Owl and Adira. Adira looked at Cleo with interest and reached out to stroke her feathers.  
  
"What's it say?" Eugene asked.  
  
Varian opened the letter. "'Varian, we came to the realization that this type of contact takes too long. Therefore, I have sent you a Communication Mirror. Just tap it twice and say my name and you can contact me. I am back with my people now, and my sister has made me regret making her worry. She says hello, by the way, and can't wait to meet you herself. Getting The Baron as an ally is a good move, I myself actually used his home as a base while I was in Vardaros, before I went to Corona. Hope to hear from you soon, little bro. With dearest regards, Andrew'." He smiled fondly and went inside with the mirror.  
  
"..Great, more frequent contact." Eugene sighed and went up front. "So, next stop?"  
  
"Anywhere!" Rapunzel said cheerfully, and they all set off, with Hector and his beasts following alongside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What could be at the next destination?
> 
> ((A/N: Everyone wants me to do a digital, colored version of Lucas' picture, so I'll be doing that once my art block goes away.))


	13. Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel meets an old friend, and an old enemy. Of sorts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Cassandra aimed her bow and arrow at an apple on top of Hookfoot, which she'd put there on top of the man as he slept. Nearby, she could hear Varian "training" with Adira and Hector - more like he was trying to defend himself from their bullying. It was like they were trying to make up for fifteen years of Quirin not training Varian in one week.  
  
"Slow--ngh--down!" Varian protested.  
  
"Come on, you can dodge better than _this_!" Hector insisted.  
  
"I can if Adira doesn't nearly _break my leg_!"  
  
Cassandra chuckled a bit and focused on her _own_ training. She gasped when she saw Eugene take the apple. "Hey!"  
  
"'Hey' yourself." Eugene turned to her. "We're running low on apples and you're wasting them on _this_? Use something else, like an actual target." He walked off.  
  
"Huh? What?" Hookfoot blinked, then yelped as Varian's sword stabbing into the ground next to him. "Hey, be careful!"  
  
"It's not like I _asked_ for my sword to get knocked out of my hand!" Varian walked over and picked his sword up before he sheathed it. "I'm taking a break!" He stormed off, pulling the mirror out of his pocket.  
  
"He's gonna go vent to Andrew about you guys again." Eugene chuckled.  
  
"He seems to be adjusting well." Adira said thoughtfully.  
  
Cassandra would call 'adjusted well' to be a stretch. Varian had had a bit of a panic attack after being told about what happened after he sang the, as Lucas put it, 'song of death'. Apparently, him _glowing_ was in the range of "completely ludicrous" and he'd then found a quiet place and, according to a snooping Eugene, ranted to Andrew about it with the mirror he'd been sent.  
  
"Guys!" Rapunzel ran up to them. "Hookhand is having a concert tomorrow!" She held up a poster.  
  
"Who what?" Lance looked up from picking flowers.  
  
"Isn't 'Hookhand' the famous ex-thug pianist that you reformed when you escaped the tower?" Varian asked, walking back over to them. "Andrew was busy, Juniper said she'll let him know I called."  
  
"Busy with _what_?" Cassandra asked.  
  
"I dunno, he was in a private meeting with Lady Caine, she said." Varian shrugged.  
  
"Well, I'm going to guess it has nothing to do with us. By the way, how'd he take the, uh, revelation?" Eugene walked over and flicked Varian's stripe up casually.  
  
"He said that he'd seen it glow before when I didn't have my gloves on and was really upset but wasn't sure what he was seeing and didn't say anything." Varian sighed and tugged on his glove. "Seriously, dad, what the heck."  
  
"Guuuyyyys. The concert?" Rapunzel urged them. "We can all just relax and unwind! Pluuuus, it'll be a Hook Brothers reunion!" She added excitedly.  
  
"Wow, thanks Princess." Hookfoot said with a forced smile. "Seeing my big bro perform sounds _delightful."_ He looked thoughtful. "Hmm...oh, crackers!" He groaned. "The concert's _tomorrow_ and _all_ the way in West Ipsil, that's at least _three days_ on foot."  
  
"But...there _has_ to be a way to get there faster." Rapunzel pouted.  
  
Ruddiger scampered over and climbed up onto her shoulders, nuzzled her, then hopped onto Varian's shoulders and chittered something while doing motions with his little hands. "What? Well, we _could_...we'd have to strap the horses on, though."  
  
"What is it?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Ruddiger says that he and the rhino could make the trip in time if they pulled the caravan together." Varian shrugged. "Uncle Hector, what do you think?"  
  
"Let's do it." Hector grinned.  
  
"Great! Let's get going, then!" Rapunzel said cheerfully.  
  
Hookfoot made a face as everyone headed back to the caravan.  
  
\--  
  
With the horses strapped to the sides of the caravan, Varian gave Ruddiger some of his special serum and then hitched him up alongside the rhino before he climbed onto his back, Hector on the rhino's back. Adira sat on the driver's seat with Rapunzel and Cassandra and everyone else went inside, Eugene taking the birds in at Varian's suggestion.  
  
"You're not sitting on the roof this time?" Cassandra asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I know my limits." She said, holding onto the seat.  
  
"Ready?" Hector grinned at Varian.  
  
Varian put his goggles over his eyes. "Let's go!"  
  
They took off running, and Rapunzel yelped as she struggled to hang on as the two beasts pulled the caravan faster than any horse would. She ended up using her hair to keep herself, Adira and Cassandra on while Hector and Varian laughed and cheered ahead of them, having the time of their lives as they raced across the countryside. The world passed by in a blur and Rapunzel had to close her eyes to keep from feeling like they were burning from the wind. Hector, of course, was fine and Varian had put on his goggles in anticipation of the speed and she wished she'd thought to ask for some.  
  
Before they knew it, they had arrived outside the town and Ruddiger was glowing as he reverted back to his normal size, Varian hopping off as soon as the glowing started.  
  
"Good job." He said, helping the tired raccoon climb up onto his shoulders.  
  
"Phew, what a rush!" Rapunzel said, unwrapping the three of them from inside her hair. "Next time, uhm, we'll do the ride _inside the caravan_ , though."  
  
Varian and Hector both laughed.  
  
\--  
  
Hookhand was _amazing_ , as Rapunzel _knew_ he'd be. No one else seemed as interested in it as she was, though, and Varian was even muttering under his breath about "bad tempo" and "off-key" and "that piano needs to be better tuned". She didn't let that affect _her_ impression of the performance, though!  
  
Because he was technically still an _active fugitive_ , Varian had been given a cloak again and with Adira and Hector by his side, people didn't even notice him. When the performance ended, Rapunzel moved forward to watch as he said his final words to the audience.  
  
"It's so _good_ to be back." The ex-thug said happily. "Good night, everybody!"  
  
She tugged on Eugene's sleeve. "Let's go say 'hi'!" She said before running out to find Hookhand's caravan.  
  
And, boy, was it impressive! Six black horses all trussed up to fit his theme, a fancy caravan bigger than their own, also to match his theme, it was incredible! "Wow." Varian remarked. "How did he afford _this_ thing? It must be a _pain_ to keep maintained, he must have a live-in mechanic."  
  
Rapunzel climbed up the steps and knocked on the door. "Hookfoot, you must be _so_ _proud_ of your brother!" She noticed he looked down and went to him. "Foot, are you okay?"  
  
"Okay? Yeah, I'm better than okay. I'm thrilled." Hookfoot said, with a shaky smile.  
  
"You need to work on your poker face." Varian remarked.  
  
"He's right, you look pretty upset." Lance pointed out.  
  
Hookfoot sighed. "It's just--"  
  
"Alright, alright! Who's knocking?!" The door opened and Hookhand looked out, his glare softening into a smile. "Hey, Rapunzel!"  
  
"Hookhand!" She smiled brightly at him.  
  
"I can't believe you guys came all this way just to see my show!" He came down the steps and hugged her.  
  
"Of course. We wouldn't miss it!" She assured him.  
  
"Hey, Hooky." Eugene stepped forward. "I gotta admit, I kinda-sorta missed seeing you around Corona."  
  
"Oh, yeah?" Hookhand growled with a grin. "How 'bout a _shake_?" He held up his hook.  
  
"Oh! I forgot, that's right. You _hate_ me." Eugene backed up.  
  
"What'd you _do_?" Varian laughed.  
  
"I don't even know." Eugene admitted.  
  
"Wait a sec. Razzle Dazzle, is that you?" Hookhand asked, looking at Hookfoot.  
  
"Razzle Dazzle?" Eugene and Lance asked in unison. Varian frowned, guessing that wasn't a _pleasant_ nickname.  
  
"Bring it in, little bro!" Hookhand hugged Hookfoot.  
  
"You know, it _still_ hurts when you use the hook." Hookfoot said with a wince as he pulled away.  
  
"You still dazzlin' everybody with that silly dancing?" Hookhand teased, then laughed.  
  
"Wait, hold on a second. _Dancing_?" Rapunzel asked. "Hookfoot, you're a _dancer_?" She looked delighted.  
  
"No." Hookfoot said defensively.  
  
"Ha! Yeah, right." Hookhand pulled him close and gave him a noogie. "Dancing was this guy's _dream_ , can you _believe_ that?" He laughed.  
  
"Says the man with a hook for a hand that plays piano with essentially six fingers." Varian said flatly. "If you can have _your_ dream, why is _his_ so ludicrous?"  
  
Hookhand looked at him. "Uh, wait, who are you? You sound _really_ young."  
  
"He's a friend." Rapunzel said, drawing his attention away from Varian. "Hookfoot, why didn't you ever tell me you danced?"  
  
"Because it _was_ my dream." Hookfoot moved away from Hookhand, "But, not anymore."  
  
"Probably for the best, right?" Hookhand chuckled. "See, kid, the difference between a hook for a foot and a hook for a hand is that the hand has more control. He's always tripping on that hook or getting caught on something!"  
  
Hookfoot hung his head as Hookhand went on. "Now, who wants a tour of my new digs?"  
  
Most of the group went in, Varian, Hookfoot, Adira and Hector staying outside with the horses.  
  
"Hookfoot, you coming?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Why, so I can listen to the jerk that crushed my dreams brag about how he's living _his_?" Hookfoot snapped, pointing at the door. "Sorry, Princess. It's just, when I was a kid, dancing was my everything." He walked over to climb on a light-pole. "It was my dream, but not _everyone_ was happy to let me _have_ that dream. Said dancing was for losers. Then I find out he had a fancy dream of his own. And, when I asked to _join_ him, he just laughed in my face! Just like earlier!" He got down. "That's when I gave it all up."  
  
"Oh, Hookfoot, that sounds _awful_." Rapunzel placed her hand on his shoulder. _  
_  
He sighed. "Eh, it's ancient history, I guess." He shrugged it off. "I'm just glad this little visit is over and the Brothers Hook can go our seperate ways yet again."  
  
Hookhand opened the door. "Got some good news for ya. Turns out, we're headed in the same direction! We've got plenty of time to catch up!" He walked back in with an inviting wave of the hand.  
  
"Want me to throw goo on his wheels when we set out?" Varian asked. "Get some space between our caravans?"  
  
"No, that'll break your cover." Hookfoot smiled a bit. "Thanks for the offer, though."  
  
Varian nodded.  
  
\--  
  
The next morning, they set off together, side by side on the road. While Varian, Adira and Hector rode on their caravan, everyone else went to Hookhand's to talk to him.  
  
"You don't have to put yourself through that abuse." Varian told Hookfoot, still wearing the cloak to conceal his identity. "You can just ride with us."  
  
"I can't avoid him forever." Hookfoot sighed and followed Rapunzel in.  
  
Varian frowned after them, then looked forward. "Let's get going, Max, Fidella."  
  
\--  
  
"We're headed to a very important event." Hookhand revealed. "It's a glamorous wedding destination for my patron. He's a King, and he makes sure I get _everything_ I need, so _everything's_ gotta be _perfect_."  
  
"It doesn't get more perfect than this." Lance said as he relaxed in a large bath with Shorty and then they clinked glasses of lemonade.  
  
Hookfoot sat off by himself, wishing he'd just stayed in the other caravan. "My brother...king..." He muttered.  
  
Rapunzel walked over to sit next to him. "I know you're upset about how he treated you, but people change over time." He glanced away. "Haven't _you_ changed since then?" She added gently.  
  
"I guess. I mean, I groom myself now." Hookfoot chuckled a bit. "And I can read math."  
  
"May I?" Hookhand said, pulling out a chair for Cassandra.  
  
"Uh, okay." Cassandra said, taking a seat.  
  
He smiled, then went to offer Pascal, who was gorging himself on berries, a handkerchief.  
  
"Everybody deserves a second chance." Rapunzel said with a smile as Hookhand walked past them.  
  
"Maybe you're right." Hookfoot smiled at her.  
  
\--  
  
Five minutes later, he was opening the door. "I'm switching, let me in!"  
  
"Aunt Adira, can you get the door for him?" Varian asked, and she opened the door to let him hop over. Then he climbed through the skylight and went over to plop down next to Varian in front, fuming.  
  
"Let me guess: He gloated." Varian looked at him.  
  
"Talked my ear off about how he's 'living the dream', and about how I'd never get mine." Hookfoot scowled. "'People change'. Bah!"  
  
"Hey, _some_ people change. Him? Not so much." Varian looked forward. "I think _you_ definitely have. You're less irritating than when I first joined."  
  
"Hey, high praise coming from _you_." Hookfoot smirked, then sighed. "Family sucks."  
  
"Sometimes, yeah." Varian nodded. "I'm an only child so I can't really _sympathize_ but..." he nodded towards Hector, who was riding along, "he spent _two decades_ hating his sister. Now look at them."  
  
Adira tossed fruit down at Hector from the roof of the caravan and he caught it before taking a bite.  
  
"Looks like they get along now." Hookfoot shrugged.  
  
"Because of _me_." Varian sighed. "Or rather, my father. And I'm not even going to get into my feelings about _him_ right now. You wanna talk about trashing dreams? My dad didn't even tell me that he loved me, and he _certainly_ didn't support my dreams." He pursed his lips. "But, I'd give everything to have him back, anyway. He's all I have."  
  
Hookfoot sighed. "Sorry you got such a crappy dad."  
  
"Sorry you got such a crappy brother." Varian glanced over at the other caravan, then focused on ahead of them.  
  
\--  
  
They stopped at a rather pleasant-looking clifftop location that overlooked the sea. A pompous-looking man was standing impatiently and he fumed as Hookhand came out and joined him, everyone else getting out of the caravans to watch as Hookhand knelt before the man.  
  
"You are _three minutes late_ , you _impunctual_ , _lumpy-faced melody pirate_!" The man screeched.  
  
"Who's _this_ guy?" Varian asked Rapunzel quietly.  
  
"King Trevor of Equis. My father's biggest rival. I'm surprised you haven't heard of him." She whispered.  
  
"Ohh. Heard of him, yes. Seen him? No." Varian adjusted the hood over his head. "From what I hear, he's worse than Frederic."  
  
" _Everything_ must be perfect for Trevor Jr's destination wedding!" The King said dramatically, then turned to the man kneeling before him. " _Everything!_ "  
  
"I have _had_ it with bullies." Rapunzel fumed.  
  
"Now, look, I know you're upset, Blondie." Eugene started. "But, this is a workplace dispute between Hookhand and his employer, and you're already on your way to interfere, that's fantastic." He sighed as Rapunzel stormed over to them.  
  
"King Trevor, I don't believe we've _met_." She said sharply, walking right up to the guy.  
  
"Who do we have here?" He mused. "Let's see. Impossible long locks and a green shoulder slug. Princess Rapunzel, I presume?" He glanced up ."Oh. _and_ your felonious boyfriend. You're still Wanted in Equis, you know!" He raised his voice, pointing at him.  
  
Eugene did a finger-gun at him, clicking his tongue shamelessly with a wink.  
  
"But, I shall spare your neck the noose," Trevor assured him, "for it was your thievery that led Trevor Jr. into the flippers of his true love, Lucille." He sighed dreamily and gestured to two seals nuzzling each other, one of them wearing a veil and necklace and the other wearing a suit-collar and tie.  
  
"...And I thought _you_ were weird with your animals." Adira said quietly, nudging Hector.  
  
"Those two seals are _getting_ _married_?!" Rapunzel squealed. "This is a _seal_ wedding?!" She gasped in excitement. "Most adorable thing _ever_!" She went over to the seals, then went back to him. " _This_ is _not_ over." Then she ran over and hugged the seals. "Congrats, you two!"  
  
"Listen well, buffoon!" Trevor turned back to Hookhand, pointing aggressively at him. " _This_ is the most _important_ performance of your _measly_ career, do you understand me? When the ceremony has ended, I will gift the happy couple with a dance representing the glory of their love!" He struck a pose. "For, as you know, I'm regarded as a world-class dancer." He placed one foot on the bench he was next to and then reached down to rip the black covers off his, apparently, rhinestone boots. "Should _one foul note_ find its way into my Trevor Jr.'s earflaps, it is back to the Stinky Weasel with you. Is that clear? NOT ONE. FOUL. NOTE!"  
  
He walked off and Varian looked at Hookfoot, who was eyeing the piano. "Don't do it. Trust me, revenge isn't all its chalked up to be."  
  
Hookfoot looked at him. "...But, _you're_ the one holding Corona hostage." He said quietly.  
  
"Yes, but that was because it was the only way to get noticed and make Rapunzel listen to my demands." Varian shook his head. "I didn't really _want_ to do any of it, you know. What _you_ have in mind is just petty, not desperate."  
  
Hookfoot looked at the piano again, then sighed. "Maybe you're right..."  
  
"Be better than him." Varian went back to the caravan.  
  
"...Only way I can be _better_ than him is by _bringing him down_." Hookfoot muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hookfoot's got a heinous plan.  
> Can Varian keep his identity hidden from the King until they leave?
> 
> ((A/N: Readers, I have replaced the traditional version of the picture of Lucas in "Into the Tree" with a digital colored one, I hope you like it!))


	14. Hook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hookhand performs for Trevor Jr.'s wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Rapunzel walked up to Hookhand, holding something behind her back. "Recognize _this_?" She held up an iron hook, the one he wore when she first met him.  
  
He looked over at her. "Ha! That old thing? Yeah. It's what I wore when I was a nobody."  
  
"It's your _old hook,_ " she said firmly, "and you _wore_ it when _all you had_ was a _dream_." She tightened her grip on it. "Off _all_ people, you should _know_ what it feels like to have to _hide_ _your dream_!" She walked towards him, lowering the hook to her side. " _Why_ would you do that to _somebody_ _else_?"  
  
He awkwardly fidgeted with his golden, jewel-encrusted hook as she spoke, then glanced at her as she approached him. "'Cause _dancing_ is _dumb_."  
  
" _Wrong_ answer." Rapunzel said firmly, gripping the front of his shirt.  
  
"Especially since your patron is a world-class dancer." She looked over her shoulder to see Varian, still cloaked, standing in the doorway. Well, leaning against it. It was kind of cute how he did things that made him seem "cool". "I'm guessing you haven't told him about your view on dancing."  
  
Hookhand cringed. "No, I haven't..."  
  
"Just because you're bigger than--uhm, Pascal?" She nodded to a stool and Pascal hopped down and pushed it over so Rapunzel could step on it and look him in the eyes as she spoke. She tried not to react to Varian chuckling at her. "Just because you're bigger than someone, it doesn't mean that you can look down on them! You should _support_ your brother! If it weren't for _us_ supporting _your dream_ , you'd still be wearing _this_." She held up the old hook.  
  
She handed it to him, then walked over to the door, placing her hand on Varian's shoulder to prompt him to come with her. He stepped away from the doorway and walked out with her.  
  
\--  
  
"It just occurred to me," Eugene commented as they ate lunch seperate from Hookhand and Trevor and their group, "if the kid is going to be joining us for this event, he's gonna need a fake name. Eventually, someone's gonna notice that we never call him by a name. How about Artemis?"  
  
Varian raised an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
"Because of the whole moon thing. It's a Greek goddess, but the name works for guys, too." Eugene nodded. "We can call you 'Arty' for short and people will assume it's short for 'Arthur'!"  
  
"I like it." Lance smiled at him.  
  
Varian shrugged. "Okay, whatever. It's just until we leave this event anyway, right?"  
  
"Alternately," Hector suggested, "we could just _not go_. Just because the _Princess_ is going--"  
  
"And turn down free food?" Adira looked at him.  
  
"...Fine." Hector glanced away.  
  
Cassandra sighed. "Honestly though, Raps, maybe we should just _leave_. The _longer_ we stay here, the more _miserable_ Hookfoot is going to be, and--"  
  
"Oh, don't worry!" Hookfoot assured her. "I'm perfectly fine! We talked it out and all, y'know?"  
  
"Foot, I was _there_ when you 'talked it out'." Eugene said flatly. "He mocked you and brushed you aside like you were _garbage_ compared to him."  
  
"Can't imagine how _that_ feels." Varian muttered sarcastically. Eugene winced. "Even so, Hookfoot, maybe it _is_ better for you to not go."  
  
"Come on, the most important performance of my big brother's career? How could I miss it?" Hookfoot grinned. "After all, family is important, right?"  
  
Varian sighed and got up, pulling his hood over his head before he walked out of their caravan.  
  
"It's nice to see Varian making an effort to be friends with you, Hookfoot." Rapunzel smiled at him. "You two have really come a long way!"  
  
Hookfoot nodded, looking over at where Varian left to.  
  
\--  
  
That night, the venue was all lit up and Hookhand was at the piano and all the guests, aside from Rapunzel and her group, were Equis Royal Guards and seals. The wedding itself went peacefully, and Varian could _swear_ he saw a tear escape Hector's eye for the happy animal couple, though he was sure he would deny it until he died.   
  
When the ceremony ended and the reception started, Varian saw Hookfoot slip away and got out of his seat to follow him discreetly, the black cloak he wore good for allowing him to spend with the shadows.  
  
Hookfoot crept along secretly with a bucket in his hand, a fish poking out of it. He hid behind a vase with a tree, then looked out at the piano, where Trevor was doing stretches while Hookhand read over his sheet music.  
  
"And now," King Trevor told the guests, "I shall favor the couple with my dance."  
  
"What are you _doing_ , Foot?" Varian asked, coming up behind him.  
  
"Maestro Hookhand?" King Trevor prompted.  
  
"You don't understand, I...he _hurt_ me. Don't I deserve a little _payback_?" Hookfoot turned to him.  
  
"Enough dawdling, fool! Play!" Trevor snapped.  
  
"He hurt your feelings, but _you_ were the one that took his words to heart and destroyed your _own_ dream." Varian said sternly. "What you are about to do isn't _justice_ , it's _petty."  
  
_"What about what _you_ did?" Hookfoot turned to him.  
  
"What _I_ did was an act of desperation after _weeks_ of being treated like a criminal, after the Royal Family abandoned us for _months_ to be killed by the rocks." Varian reached out and gripped the bucket. "I can't let Frederic go without suffering for what he did to me, but _you_ can let go of your grudge against your brother just like _I'm_ letting go of my grudge against Rapunzel. And you don't need his _permission_ to have your dream. You don't need his _permission_...to _dance_."  
  
Hookfoot pulled the bucket back to him, out of Varian's smaller, weaker grip. "Go back to your aunt and uncle. He needs to know how it _feels_."  
  
"Hookfoot, you're _going_ to regret this." He said, looking up at him pleadingly. "Don't let him drag you down. You don't know what King Trevor will _do_ to him - or _you_ , if he finds out you're to blame."  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, and seals," Hookhand spoke up, and they looked over at him, realizing he hadn't started playing yet and had stood up, "I got somethin' to say. Playing the piano for people like you was always my dream. And I'm living my dream, because people that could've _laughed_ at me, didn't." He hung his head in shame. "But, the truth is, I haven't always been as supportive of other peoples' dreams as I _should_ have."  
  
Hookfoot loosened his grip on the bucket and Varian gently took it from him before the man walked out to rejoin the party.  
  
"Enough of this sentimental hogwash." King Trevor sighed. "It is _time_ for my _dance_!"  
  
"Uh, does anyone else smell fish?" Lance asked, and Varian carried the bucket away from the venue, pausing when a man stopped in front of him.  
  
"Hand over the _fish_ , boy." The man said firmly. "I'm going to make that _buffoon_ pay for mistreating me!"  
  
"Sorry, but you'll have to come up with some _other_ scheme." Varian moved past the man and he grabbed the bucket, forcing Varian to try to wrestle it away from him.  
  
"Give me the fish!" The man snapped, then snatched it out of the bucket and ran. Varian tossed the bucket at him and it hit him in the head, but he kept running. "Wow, thick skull." He said, then ran after him.  
  
Hookhand started to play and no one seemed to notice the scuffle going on in the shadows as Varian lunged at the guy and knocked him down, wrestling with him for the fish. Then the man whacked Varian in the head, hard, and he groaned in a woozy way as he fell off him. The man got up and ran off with the fish while Varian recovered.  
  
"Wait..." He pushed himself up, not noticing that his hood had come off as he followed him.  
  
The man slipped the fish into the piano discreetly and the result was a horrid sour note escaping the keys. Varian knocked into the guy and he let out a groan, falling to his knees. Judging by the sloshing sound from inside the piano, Varian realized that this guy must've been discreetly doing this before Hookfoot ever had the chance to.  
  
King Trevor stormed over to the pianist. "You are a _failure_!" He declared. "And as of _this_ moment, I am _revoking_ my support of your music! Guards!"  
  
"Wait!" Varian cried out, getting to his feet and pulling the guy up with him. "It's not his fault! There was...oof...sabotage!" He pushed the real culprit out where the King could see him, falling to his knees next to him with a groan. He felt so dizzy...  
  
"Whoa, hey!" Hookfoot ran over and knelt next to him since he was closest. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Just a bit woozy, m'fine." Varian shook his head, then looked up at King Trevor. "There was...sabotage. This guy. Don't punish Hookhand for something _someone else_ did."  
  
"I don't _care_ about the circumstances, I said 'one foul note'!" King Trevor turned his nose away snootily.  
  
Hookhand hung his head, leaning it on the piano keys.  
  
"Now, guards, remove this leather-clad, silly mustached gremlin from my sight!"  
  
Hookfoot clenched his fists and stood up. "Hold on! How _dare_ you talk to _my_ brother that way?! He's got more talent in that one hand of his than _you_ got in your entire body!"  
  
"Who are _you_ to judge talent, you chipmunk-faced meat hook?" King Trevor demanded.  
  
"Who is _he_?" Rapunzel stepped forward with a smile. "Uhh, he just happens to be the _best dancer in Corona_."  
  
The culprit started to get up and yelped as he found himself being lifted by Hector, while Adira lifted Varian into her arms and they carried both into the shadows.  
  
"He could dance _you_ under the table _any day_!" Rapunzel said, moving to Hookfoot's side. "Unless you think you don't have what it takes?" She added, examining her nails condescendingly before she leaned on Hookfoot's shoulder.  
  
King Trevor laughed. "This _ruffian_ is the best in Corona? Ha!"  
  
Hookfoot pulled Rapunzel to the side. "Rapunzel, I don't think this is such a great idea."  
  
"You can _do_ this." She assured him.  
  
"It's your _dream_ , isn't it?" Varian asked, and Hookfoot looked over at him resting in Adira's arms. Hector and Varian's assailant had disappeared.  
  
"If it's a dance-off he wants," King Trevor started hopping on one foot, then the other, "it's a dance-off he shall have!" He did the splits on the ground. "The stakes? If I lose," He rose up slightly, then leaped into the air, "I shall _double_ my contributions to this sad sack's piano career." He stood next to Hookhand, pointing a thumb at him. "But, if _I_ win," He jumped off the stage with a twirl and stood with a flourish on the carpet leading up to it, "he'll never play another _note,_ " he walked on his toes towards them gracefully, " _ever_ again."  
  
Varian cringed. If rumors were to be _believed_ , he just implied he'd remove the man's fingers.  
  
Hookhand sat up and looked over at Hookfoot to give him a thumbs-up of encouragement.  
  
"Let the dance-off commence!" King Trevor declared, doing a backflip before he started to sway from side to side, two of his guards with him.  
  
"Uhm, a little problem here?" Hookhand spoke up. "My piano is full of fish."  
  
Shorty poked his head out of the piano, knocking several fish bones out as he did. "Problem solved!" He let out a belch.  
  
"When did he...?" Varian sighed. "...Don't question it."  
  
\--  
  
Rapunzel felt a little worried about Varian, but she'd worry about it later. Adira had him for now, and Hookfoot needed her support.   
  
"I could use some accompaniment?" Hookhand turned to her.  
  
Rapunzel smiled and went to grab a guitar, coming over to stand next to him. "Ready when you are!"  
  
They started to play while the dancers warmed up.   
  
"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, betting Hookhand's entire career on that guy's ability to _dance?_ " Eugene asked, walking over to her. "Also, uh, what happened to Artemis?"  
  
"I'm not sure, I haven't asked. All I know is that he caught a guy sabotaging the piano." She replied. "And you can't achieve a dream without first risking failure." She playfully messed with his nose.  
  
"You shall listen as I proclaim the dance-off rules!" King Trevor declared. "The first dancer goes, and the second dancer shall match and embellish!" He gestured to the seals. "After which Lucille shall choose the winner." He went to her side.  
  
" _All_ these people here and you pick the _seal_ to be the judge?" Cassandra asked.  
  
"Of course!" King Trevor said firmly. "That _i_ _s_ , after all, her official title! She is..." She struck a dramatic pose. "The Seal of Approval!"  
  
Everyone in Rapunzel's group groaned at the pun.  
  
\--  
  
Hector stopped his rhino and then jumped off it before yanking the unconscious man with him. He was shaken away from the motion and looked around in confusion as he was thrown to the ground. "Oww..." He looked up with fear at the feral man that had taken him away.  
  
"I don't know why you think you can hurt _my nephew_ , but you're not going to get away with it." He cracked his knuckles and then walked towards him.  
  
"W-Wait, what are you talking about? That kid?" The man scrambled to his feet. "Who _are_ you?!"  
  
"Your worst nightmare, and the last thing you'll ever see." Hector said, flicking out his blade from his glove.  
  
"Ahhhhh! Spare meeee!" The man turned and ran and Hector gave chase with his binturongs alongside him.  
  
He would not show mercy to _anyone_ that harmed his family, but _especially_ not the Moonstone's human host. He would _enjoy_ this.  
  
\--  
  
Varian tried to focus on the performance, but the blow to his head was really affecting his vision and the sounds and sights were aggravating his senses. Still, he didn't say anything, wanting to be there to support Hookfoot who was following along after the King _splendidly._ He danced to his brother's music like he was born for it and the stage lit up with their joy.  
  
Then Hookfoot's hook got bent during a dance move and he looked down at it with horror. Trevor started to laugh with delight as he limped over to Rapunzel on his damaged hook.  
  
"Ugh, that's it for me." Hookfoot said regretfully, then sat down holding his head. "I can't do it! Not without my hook. Maybe he's just too good."  
  
"Hookfoot, I--" Rapunzel started.  
  
"Rapunzel, let _me_ talk to him." Hookhand said, walking over to them. He knelt down in front of his little brother with a shaky smile. "Come on, Dazzle. I need you to dig down deep, and find them guts to show this _chump_ what _real talent_ looks like!"  
  
"But, even if I _wanted_ to, my _hook_..." Hookfoot looked down at it.  
  
"Maybe this'll help." Hookhand took off his jewel-encrusted hook and held it up. "It's only for _true artistes_." He said, as if it was something Trevor had said before. He handed it to him and smiled brightly, pushing him forward. "Now, get in there and _live your dream_."  
  
Rapunzel smiled proudly. "Couldn't have said it better myself." She kissed Hookhand's cheek.  
  
He put on his old, iron hook and the dance-off went on. Hookfoot dazzled the crowd with both his performance and his new hook and even King Trevor looked in awe.  
  
Too soon, everyone thought, the song came to an end and the performance with it. Hookfoot struck a pose and a bow and then King Trevor came up. "Okay, that's enough! Lucille shall now choose the winner!"  
  
"Aunt Adira..." Varian moaned softly, and she looked at him, "my head hurts..."  
  
"Do you want to go?" She asked.  
  
He shook his head, watching as the seal moved forward to make her decision. Two horns were put next to her for her to squeeze, and everyone waited with bated breath as she considered the options. To everyone's surprise, especially King Trevor's, she chose Hookfoot instead of her new "father-in-law". Everyone in the audience cheered and Varian finally had enough and his vision went black as he slumped against Adira's chest.  
  
\--  
  
"That's my little brother~!" Hookhand said excitedly.  
  
The guards carried Hookfoot over to his brother and Rapunzel while King Trevor protested his loss, which no one cared about.  
  
"Princess!" Adira ran to her carrying Varian, not seeming to care that his face was exposed to the King of Equis. "Princess, we need to get him out of here and find him a doctor."  
  
"What?" King Trevor looked at them and walked over. "What is--isn't this--what _happened_?"  
  
What, he didn't recognize him when he was _talking to him_ earlier?!  
  
"Uhm, that guy that put the fish in the piano hurt him!" Rapunzel explained, feeling a bit nervous about him knowing.  
  
"Well, why didn't you say so _sooner_? Come, I have a medic!" He motioned for them to follow him. "We'll be back shortly!" He paused. "Oh, and I suppose I will have to concede that you won and to the victor goes the spoils and all that." He walked off.  
  
Rapunzel and Adira looked at each other and then followed him out.  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" Cassandra asked, coming to join them. Eugene and Lance followed suit, while Shorty and Hookfoot got caught up with Hookhand.  
  
"Has anyone seen Hector?" Eugene asked as they left the wedding venue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that ended dazzingly!


	15. Heal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian gets some medical help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

To Rapunzel's surprise, King Trevor actually took them to a medic, who quickly set to work examining Varian. Adira waited outside the closed tent flaps while Rapunzel stood off to the side with King Trevor and the others. "I don't _get_ it, why would you want to help him? I _know_ you recognized who he was."  
  
"Any enemy of Frederic is a friend of mine." King Trevor chuckled. "Although, I would have offered my assistance regardless, seeing how he is only a child. I am curious, how did he end up out here? I was told by my spies that he'd been locked away in the dungeon."  
  
"I guess your spies missed it, but he was sent out on the prison barge along with Lady Caine and Andrew of Saporia." Rapunzel sighed.  
  
King Trevor's eyes lit up. "Oh, he knows the Saporians!"  
  
"Why do you look happy about that?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Because it means we have a mutual ally. Equis has been supporting the Saporians for centuries." King Trevor casually revealed. "If only the Princess would accept my hand but, alas, she turns me down just as Arianna did years ago."  
  
"Princess?" Rapunzel asked, surprised. "Saporia has a Princess?"  
  
"And a Prince, who you know." King Trevor sighed dramatically. "Ah, if only I could have rescued him for her, but, alas, I was unable to locate where in the dungeons he was kept!"  
  
"...Wait." Eugene looked at Rapunzel. "He's not talking about _Andrew,_ is he?"  
  
"Who else?" King Trevor looked annoyed, then turned to see the medic looking out at them.  
  
"Who is this child's guardian?" The medic asked.  
  
Adira walked forward. "What's the matter?"  
  
She looked up at him. "Who are you to him?"  
  
"His aunt, though we only met recently." She admitted.  
  
"I see." She cleared her throat. "Who is this child in the _care_ of?"  
  
Rapunzel stepped forward. "Uhm, me?"  
  
"Have you seen his back?" The medic asked sharply. Eugene sucked in his breath and Rapunzel nodded while Adira looked confused. "Do you know how it happened?"  
  
"What is going on?" King Trevor asked. "Out with it."  
  
The medic came out and sighed. "Very well. Your Majesty, the boy has a concussion from the blow to his head, but the biggest damage is the infection caused by sub-par medical treatment for the wounds all over his back. I've woken him up, he should _not_ be sleeping with a concussion, and he refuses to tell me where the scars came from. They look both old and new, layered upon each other."  
  
" _Scars_?" Adira breathed, her eyes wide.  
  
Rapunzel looked at her. "Adira--"  
  
"Adira, I'm back." Hector said, walking up to her. "Where's the kid?"  
  
"He's being treated." She turned to him. "Hector, he's hurt badly, he has _scars_ on his back. I haven't seen them yet--"  
  
Hector's eyes went wide and then he shoved past the medic to enter the tent, Adira behind him. Rapunzel shifted nervously, then jumped when Hector came out yelling, "WHAT HAPPENED?!"  
  
"He was in prison!" She cried, stepping back in alarm. "I didn't know it was happening, my father was having him whipped every month when he turned down a horrific offer!"  
  
King Trevor's eyes went wide. "Frederic, _really_?" He murmured. "I never thought him the _type_."  
  
"...Your father. The one that let Quirin's home get _destroyed by the rocks_ with his inaction?" Hector asked with a venomous tone. "The one that _took the flower_ , against Quirin's advice? THAT 'father'?"  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "I intend to get to the bottom of this. I'm sure that he was influenced by _something_ , maybe even Lucas, he was _there_!" She insisted.  
  
"But, Princess..." Lance said softly, "he wasn't _there_ until the _blizzard_ was stopped. King Frederic has been this brutal since...since you were taken as a baby."  
  
" _I_ want to give him the benefit of the doubt too, Sunshine," Eugene sighed, "but, the blizzard hadn't _happened_ yet when he tried to lock you up in your tower bedroom after your hair grew back."  
  
"I don't know..." Rapunzel shook her head. "I... _I don't know_." She gripped her hair and hung her head.  
  
Adira came out. "Princess, Andrew is contacting us with the mirror, he wants to talk to you."  
  
Rapunzel moved around Hector, who was still fuming, and went to accept it. "H-Hey, Andrew."  
  
"Princess, Varian told us about what happened." Andrew said calmly. "I want you to stay with King Trevor until Clementine arrives, alright? She's nearby your location, I told her to head on over. She'll have something to speed up the healing process and take care of the infection."  
  
"Andrew, I-I'm sorry I didn't protec--"  
  
"Don't apologize for what happened when he was being reckless." Andrew said, cutting her off. "Honestly, I didn't expect him to _ever_ do something like that for someone in your group. Seems that you've rubbed off on him some, Princess. Corona may have a chance yet."  
  
Rapunzel let out a shuddering sigh. "But, my father..."  
  
"Your father, and everyone else involved, still has to pay. That includes that advisor that told the King that you were attacked by Varian." Andrew informed her. "Once he has the Moonstone, you need to escort him back to Corona, clear his name of that night, and then, well, if _you_ don't make sure your father pays for all of it, Varian _will_. You _know_ that, right?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
King Trevor walked over. "Prince Andrew, is your sister there?"  
  
"Hello, King Trevor. Hold on, let me check." He looked to the side. "Juni, are you here?"  
  
"No!" A voice replied.  
  
"She says she's not here." Andrew chuckled. "She's busy training, I'll tell her you send your regards."  
  
" _When_ will Clementine get here?" Rapunzel asked anxiously.  
  
"Half a day at most. She's going as fast as the wind takes her." Andrew assured her. "Just look for the balloon. Take care, Rapunzel."  
  
"Wait, hold on." Rapunzel held up a hand. " _Why_ did you never mention you were a _prince_?"  
  
"I didn't think you cared." Andrew shrugged. "After all, Saporia is just a Kingdom that happily merged with Corona and the Separatists are just ungrateful rebels, right? Take care." He tapped his mirror twice and the image went dark, the frame no longer glowing.  
  
"...Okay, so _maybe_ my family has been lying to my people for centuries." Rapunzel sighed, then looked up to see Hector and Adira had gone back into the tent.  
  
\--  
  
Adira and Hector didn't leave Varian's side after that, refusing to leave the medical tent as long as he was in there. Rapunzel took to watching the skies for any sign of a hot-air balloon.  
  
"Hey, Raps." Cassandra walked over to stand next to her. "It's gonna be okay." She assured her.  
  
"He never let on that he was suffering." Rapunzel sighed.  
  
"We did the best we could with what we had. Don't blame yourself, some of those are from when Andrew treated him on the barge, too." Cassandra reminded her. "Come on, cheer up."  
  
"Hey, did you hear?" Lance went over to her. "Hookfoot's planning to stay with his brother."  
  
"He is?" Rapunzel turned to him.  
  
"Yeah." Lance nodded. "They made up and he's going on tour with him."  
  
"That's great! I mean, we'll miss him, obviously, but it's so great that they're going to perform together!"  
  
"Yeah." Lance nodded, then looked towards the medical tent. "How's--"  
  
"There she is!" Rapunzel gasped, seeing a hot-air balloon flying over. It landed near the medical tent and then a woman that looked to have a similar body-type, completely with height, to Calliope or Old Lady Crowley came out.  
  
"Alright, where's the boy?" She asked, and someone with her helped her get her things out and over.  
  
"In the medical tent." Rapunzel gestured to it. "Clementine, right? I'm Rapun--"  
  
"That can wait. I have an infected teenager to treat." She went into the tent, her assistant with her.  
  
"...She's...pleasant." Rapunzel sighed.  
  
Adira and Hector got shooed out and Rapunzel could _swear_ she saw them get pushed out by a gust of wind.   
  
"No one mentioned she was a _mage_." Hector said, looking back at the tent.  
  
"Let's just...leave her to her work." Adira sighed heavily. "So, what happened to that guy?"  
  
"What guy?" Hector asked.  
  
"You know, the guy that--"  
  
"What. Guy.?" Hector grinned and then walked off.  
  
"Well, that answers _that_ question." Adira said, watching him go.  
  
"Wait, what happened to him?" Lance asked.  
  
"Well...it's Hector. Think of what he was going to do when we fought him in the tree." She looked back at the medical tent.  
  
Lance blinked, then went pale. "Oh."  
  
"Yeah. He's _fiercely_ protective." Adira nodded.  
  
"Speaking of fierce," Rapunzel looked over to see Ruddiger coming running. He went into the tent before anyone could stop him and, since he didn't _leave_ , apparently was allowed to stay.  
  
"Guess Hector told him what happened." Cassandra shrugged.  
  
\--  
  
Varian was quiet as he lay on his bed. his shirt was off and he was on his stomach, with a woman he didn't know putting a strange-smelling potion on his scars and muttering to herself to make the potion glow. Ruddiger was curled up in front of him and he licked Varian's nose to try to cheer him up. It didn't work. Also, he had some weird vine wrapped around his head, which was also glowing and making his stripe glow in reaction. Apparently, his secret Moon powers reacted to _any_ magic. Annoying. He wondered if Rapunzel's hair did the same thing, or if the Moon was just especially sensitive.  
  
"He really did a number on you." She commented. "I had heard rumor of King Frederic losing his mind after his daughter went missing, but this is...unbelievable. And they call _us_ 'extreme'."  
  
"Can you make the scars go away?" He asked softly.  
  
"Only the Sundrop's healing power can do that, boy." She shook her head. "I can only cleanse it of the infection and ease the pain."  
  
"So...what's the vine do?" He pointed to it.  
  
"It's clearing your concussion. Should be done soon." She assured him. "Aside from a bump and a concussion, your head is fine."  
  
"I don't think I got your name." He looked over his shoulder at her.  
  
"Clementine. Andrew sent me." She smiled. "I'm from Saporia."  
  
"Oh." He nodded. "Nice to meet you."  
  
"And you. Andrew speaks very fondly and highly of you, you are apparently a high-skilled alchemist and inventor." She smiled.  
  
"Heh, yeah." He nodded, smiling shyly.  
  
"It's a shame about your father, though. I hope you manage to free him, you deserve a happy ending." She started to sprinkle herbs on his back and Varian giggled a bit as it tickled him. "Oh, are you ticklish?"  
  
"No." He said quickly.  
  
She smirked and tickled behind his ear. He squirmed and she chuckled before going back to her work.  
  
"Hey, do you have anything for...nightmares?" He asked, looking at her. "Like...of true events?"  
  
"Well..." She sighed. "I _could_ give you a charm to carry around, but if you want something long-term, you would want to just purge it from your mind with the Wand of Oblivium. But, you'd _also_ forget why you're all scarred up."  
  
"I'll take the charm." He nodded. "I _won't_ forget what he did to me, not ever."  
  
"Alright, I'll get you one out of my luggage once I'm done here." She smiled.  
  
He nodded, glancing away. "Hey, uh, you seem...uhm...wise and...like you've been around a while. What do you know about the Disciples of Zhan Tiri?"  
  
"That they're bad news and you shouldn't get involved with them. Which, according to Andrew, you already _have_." She rolled her eyes. "That idiot boy made a Deal with the one called Lucas to protect you from...well, early deflowering."  
  
"From _what_?" He looked back at her.  
  
"You're too young to worry about it." She assured him, then poured more potion on over the herbs, muttering to herself again.  
  
Varian blinked at her. "Uhm...ooookay."  
  
\--  
  
"Varian!" Rapunzel cried with relief when he stepped out of the medical tent with Clementine, Ruddiger wrapped around his shoulders. "You're okay!"  
  
"Yeah. Uhm, is Hookfoot okay?" Varian asked, and Rapunzel nodded. "That's good. And his brother?"   
  
"Varian, I'm sorry to tell you that Hookfoot isn't going to be traveling with us anymore..." Rapunzel said with a solemn expression, then smiled brightly. "Because he and his brother are going _on tour_ together!"  
  
"That's great!" Varian smiled. "I should congratulate him!"  
  
"So, hey, maybe you can have his old bed." Cassandra said teasingly, rubbing Varian's head. "Give us girls back our place finally."  
  
"We'll still keep the bed in there, though, in case you need a break from guy-talk." Rapunzel assured him with a grin.  
  
Varian playfully punched Cassandra's arm and walked off to the Hook Brothers' caravan.  
  
"He's really warmed up to us." Rapunzel smiled.  
  
"He's still going to make your dad suffer, though." Cassandra sighed. "And...probably mine."  
  
"Maybe he won't, if _I_ do something." Rapunzel said softly. "You heard Andrew."  
  
Clementine walked over to Rapunzel and handed her something. "This charm will help with the nightmares. Hold it and whisper 'sweet dreams' three times each night and it'll keep them away and he can sleep through the night. His body was exhausted from an immense lack of sleep, which only made the infection worse. For once, a concussion is a fortunate thing, because it got him into a medical tent to be examined."  
  
"Thank you _so_ much, Clementine. Is there anything I can do to repay you?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Just try to keep him from doing anything that stupid again." She sighed heavily. "And...be there for him."  
  
"I will." Rapunzel nodded. "Always."  
  
She nodded. "Good. I'm heading home, I've been away too long and I'm worried Andrew is going to run off and try to single-handedly save Saporia _again_." She rolled her eyes and Rapunzel and Cassandra laughed. "Take care, Princess. I can already tell you will be a better Queen than any of your forefathers." She walked off to her balloon and her assistant went with her. "Good luck on your mission! Remember to contact us if you need some magical help again."  
  
"Take care, have a good flight!" Rapunzel waved her hand cheerfully.  
  
Cassandra smiled, then looked over at where Varian was talking with Hookfoot and Hookhand outside their caravan.  
  
\--  
  
"It was so _great_ getting to see you again, Hookhand." Rapunzel said, hugging him.  
  
"You too, Princess." He smiled, then looked over at Varian. "I don't know if I can thank you _enough_ for your helping my brother learn to forgive me."  
  
"Hey, I've _been_ down the petty revenge road." Varian sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Didn't...work out for me."  
  
"Good luck." He walked over and hugged him. "It was nice meeting you, kid."  
  
"Nice meeting you too, Hookhand. Take good care of your brother, okay?" Varian smiled and looked at Hookfoot, who pulled him into a hug of his own.  
  
"Hey, maybe you can send Cleo with a message for me sometime." Hookfoot smiled and rubbed his head. "Let me know when you get the Moonstone, okay? And when your dad is free. And..." He sighed. "I _really_ hope that Rapunzel can get you the justice you need, and you don't have to get it yourself."  
  
"I hope so, too." Varian said, nodding. "But, uh, heh...turns out that my _aunt and uncle_ found out, so I might have to hold _them_ back so Rapunzel can try."  
  
Hookfoot looked over at Adira and Hector, who were already standing by the smaller caravan. "Yeah, uh, good luck with _that_."  
  
Varian laughed and then they hugged one more time before they separated, Varian and Rapunzel leaving the larger caravan to go to their own.  
  
King Trevor walked over to them. "I wish you good luck in your endeavor. I have gifted you with food for your journey. do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything else. Even if it is just to make Frederic's day _terrible_ with one of my _marvelous_ pranks."  
  
Varian grinned. "Sound great, I'll send you a message." He nodded to Cleo, who looked down at them. "Take care of yourself, Your Majesty. I hope your seals have a happy marriage together."  
  
"Indeed!" He stood proudly. "Well, then, Princess Rapunzel. I'll let you all get on your way." He walked off.  
  
"Next stop?" Rapunzel smiled, looking at Varian.  
  
"Anywhere." Varian grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What could be waiting for them at the next destination?


	16. Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the caravan gets stuck, the group spends the night at a strange building made of shells.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

The wind was roaring outside as the caravan went down the muddy path. It was bad enough that Adira had opted to sit on Varian's old bed while Hector and his binturongs joined the boys on the other side. Outside, Maximus and Fidella pulled the caravan while the rhino walked alongside the boys' side.  
  
"Poor Max, Fidella and Callan." Varian sighed as he looked out the window "It must be _horrible_ out there..."  
  
"Callan can handle himself." Hector assured him.  
  
Varian sighed, then looked back at his book, looking thoughtful. "Okay, I can't take it anymore."  
  
"Take what?" Eugene asked, looking over.  
  
"What does 'deflower' mean?" Varian asked.  
  
The others got so silent you could hear a pin drop. "Uhm..." Eugene cleared his throat. "Lance, you wanna--"  
  
"No, no way." Lance shook his head. "Uhhh, Hector, _you're_ his uncle." He deflected.  
  
Hector shook his head, his eyes wide.  
  
Shorty snored.  
  
"Well, the kid's got a question, so _someone's_ gotta tell him." Eugene said, his face pink.  
  
Varian stared blankly. "Ooookay." He got up and went to open the door. "Cassandra, what does 'deflower' mean?"  
  
"It means to take someone's virginity. _What_ are you reading that has 'deflower' in it?" Cassandra looked up from sharpening her sword.  
  
"Clementine said that Andrew made a 'Deal' with Lucas to 'protect me from an early deflowering'. So...it's a sex thing?" Varian asked.  
  
"Yes, Varian, it's a sex thing." Cassandra nodded.  
  
"Oh. Okay." He closed the door and went back to his book.  
  
Hector looked at him and cleared his throat. "So...you _haven't_ had intimate relations with--"  
  
"No, Uncle Hector, Lucas has _not_ had sex with me. All these weird terms, it's _confusing_!" He went back to his book.  
  
"Oh." Hector nodded. "Good."  
  
"How did you say that with a _straight face_ , Cassandra?" Eugene asked.  
  
"It's not like he was _propositioning_ anyone, he just wanted to know _what a word meant_. Honestly." Cassandra said with an impatient tone.  
  
With that, they slipped back into a comfortable silence.  
  
\--  
  
Well, comfortable until certain sounds got on everyone's nerves:  
  
Rapunzel was drawing, her quill scratching on the paper.  
  
Cassandra was doing tricks with her sword and fruit.  
  
Adira was sharpening her sword.  
  
Lance was whistling.  
  
Varian was turning pages.  
  
Eugene was grooming himself.  
  
Hector was petting his binturongs, who were purring _very_ loudly.  
  
And Shorty woke up and decided to take a bath in the tub he sleeps in, making a sloshing sound.  
  
All of which was slowly getting on everyone's nerves.  
  
Not to mention the _leaks_ dripping water.   
  
"Eight perfect slices." Cassandra said proudly, then let out a groan. "Ugh, Raps, Adira, do you _mind_?"  
  
"What?" Rapunzel asked, continuing with what she was doing.  
  
Adira shot her a look, sheathed her sword slooooooowly, then started to meditate.  
  
"Wow, petty much?" Cassandra frowned at her.  
  
Rapunzel looked up as Lance's whistling went through the walls and she sighed, lowering her quill before she got down to open the top part of the door.  
  
"Lance, _please_." She said irritably.  
  
"Yes, please, this song is _awful_." Eugene said as he groomed his eyebrows, standing in front of a mirror.  
  
"Speaking of 'awful', I see you're looking at yourself again, pretty boy." Cassandra teased.  
  
Eugene's shoulders slumped and then his crossed his arms. "Well, it _beats_ looking at _you_."  
  
Varian glanced up at them, then glanced back at his book, turning another page.   
  
"Besides," Eugene went on, "without proper brow maintenance, the smoulder _cannot_ work to full effect."  
  
"If you two start arguing, _again_ , I'm putting you both to sleep." Varian said, not looking up from his book.  
  
"If the effect you're going for is to make me _nauseous_ ," Cassandra said as she and Rapunzel came into the room fully, "I'd say it's working _perfectly_."  
  
"Well, it wasn't what I was _going_ for," Eugene smirked, "but since you are _nauseated_ , let's call it a happy accident."  
  
"Ruddiger." Varian said, and his faithful raccoon uncurled from his shoulders and went to his backpack to dig in it.  
  
Rapunzel found a spot to sit and draw, but Lance's whistling was obviously getting on her nerves.  
  
"I'll show _you_ a 'happy accident'!" Cassandra threatened.  
  
" _All_ the other noises, and _you're_ just upset about the _arguing_?" Hector asked, looking at Varian.  
  
"I grew up in a farming village. You get used to ignoring background sounds; do you have _any_ idea how often a rooster _actually_ crows during the day? Not to mention the cows' mooing, and the sheep, and the farmers whistling or singing on the way to the fields. But, arguing? Yeah, _that_ hits my radar." Varian said as Ruddiger came over with a green alchemy bomb for him.  
  
"Guess that's why _Ruddiger_ isn't upset, either." Hector said, gesturing to his binturongs curling up and covering their ears.  
  
"See that?" Eugene said, gesturing to Pascal, who was using Rapunzel's hair to cover his ears. "Even the _frog_ can't stand you whistling anymore."  
  
"Oh, yeah?" Lance challenged. "And what does the little greenie-weenie know about _music_? He doesn't even have ears."  
  
Pascal squeaked in frustration.  
  
"A common misconception," Varian spoke up, "chameleons _do_ in fact have ears, they're just hard to see because of all the scales."  
  
"Okay, fine, I stand corrected. Still, what does _he_ know about music?" Lance huffed.  
  
Rapunzel looked up at him, then sighed and went back to her drawing. "And _you_ with the _scratching_!" Cassandra groaned.  
  
"Seriously, I will put _all_ of you to sleep if you don't stop arguing." Varian said sternly.  
  
"What could you _possibly_ be drawing in that journal _now_?" Cassandra asked with exasperation.  
  
Rapunzel looked up from the angry and annoyed faces she had been drawing. Only Varian looked at some level of peace, but his brow was furrowed.  
  
"Well, I would _try_ to explain it, but you _clearly_ know _nothing_ about art." Rapunzel said, slamming her book shut. "Ugh, okay, that was mean."  
  
"Ruddiger, I'm going to need more." Varian said, and his raccoon went to get more alchemy bombs as Varian slammed his _own_ book shut in irritation.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Rapunzel sighed. "Look, I _know_ our little ticks are getting on each other's nerves, all because we are _all_ stuck in here _together_." She clenched her fist tightly around her quill. "But, on the bright side, we're all in here _together_! So, let's just have some _fun_ with it!" Lance continued his whistling and Rapunzel snapped, " _Lance_ , if you _do not_ stop _whistling_ , I will _throttle_ you!"  
  
"If you _all_ don't stop _arguing_ , _I'm_ going to _force_ you overgrown brats to take a _nap_!" Varian snapped, getting up. "Seriously, he's just _whistling_! Get over it! Why are you all so _sensitive_ today?!"  
  
"Excuse me?! I'm _not_ being sensitive!" Cassandra turned to him. "Her scratching is _loud_! And his _whistling is_ \--"  
  
"Oh, like your little _sword-tricks_ weren't noisy?!" Eugene asked. "And things were _perfectly fine_ until y _ou_ came in and started to make fun of me again!"  
  
Varian held up his alchemy ball and tossed it up and down threateningly.  
  
They heard a crashing sound outside and Varian put his alchemy bombs away before joining the others as they all ran out to see what happened.  
  
There was a huge tree right in their path, and the wheel of the caravan had gotten stuck in the mud. "...Well, it's official." Rapunzel sighed heavily. "We are _stuck_."  
  
"I guess we'll just have to wait out the storm in here." Cassandra sighed.  
  
"You know, sleeping is a _great_ way to pass time." Varian suggested.  
  
Rapunzel noticed something out the window and looked closer.  
  
"Is that another _threat_?" Cassandra asked.  
  
"Only if you're planning to keep _arguing_." Varian said firmly.  
  
"Hey, CasSANDra started it!" Eugene insisted.  
  
"I don't care _who_ started it, _I'm_ finishing it!" Varian said sternly.  
  
"Guys!" Rapunzel looked at them. "There's a building over there. Shelter! We can go in there for the night!"  
  
"Uh, do you _really_ want to go into a creepy house _in_ _the middle of nowhere_? Have you _never_ read folklore? This _never_ ends well." Varian crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"Well, it's a _better_ idea than taking a nap." Rapunzel went out of the caravan and headed for the building.  
  
"May as well go with." Cassandra sighed, following her. "If _nothing_ else, to keep her from being _killed_."  
  
Varian closed and put on his backpack and Ruddiger hopped onto his shoulders as they headed out after her.  
  
\--  
  
They all made their ways out and joined her at the door. Rapunzel made sure everyone was with her, then reached up to knock on the door.  
  
"A black crab with _glowing_ , red eyes. _That's_ not threatening." Varian remarked as Rapunzel used the crab-shaped knocker.  
  
"The house looks like it's made of seashells, it's a theme." Eugene shrugged.  
  
They saw a shadow in the window as someone approached the door and then it opened. "Hello!" Rapunzel greeted. "We are _so_ sorry to bother you, but our caravan got stuck in the mud."  
  
"A carriage stuck in ze mud, is a carriage that is quite a dud." The man at the door said pleasantly, then paused. "It's a rhyme." He chuckled. "Look at how _wet_ all of you are!"  
  
"Got any _other_ obvious statements?" Varian asked flatly.  
  
"Varian, be nice." Rapunzel told him. "Uh, could we come in?" She asked the man.  
  
"Of course, of course. My name is Matthews, and you are _all_ welcome." He paused. "Except the horses. They shed too much and leave hoofprints on the carpeting, _oui_? Also, the bearcats and rhino."  
  
Hector knelt next to his beasts. "Guard the carriage." He told them. "We'll see you in the morning."  
  
They nuzzled him and then went to go guard it.  
  
Matthews nodded. "There is a stable over zhere." He pointed towards it. The horses went over to the stables and then the others all went in, Ruddiger curling up tighter around Varian's neck protectively, growling at Matthews as they passed him.  
  
Inside, the place looked like it was the inside of a seashell. "Wow, this place is _amazing_!" Rapunzel said in awe.  
  
"It _is_ , yes, but so are pockets." Matthews walked past them after closing and locking the door. "You can put _anything_ in one, so long as it's smaller than the pocket itself. You know, I like to put my hands in mine."  
  
They all followed him, looking around as they walked.  
  
"Right, okay." Rapunzel said blankly. "So, this place is made _entirely_ of shells?"  
  
"I see you've noticed." Matthews chuckled. "Let me guess. You must be the _genius_ of the group, _oui_?" Varian rolled his eyes at the quip as the man went on. "Indeed, a large shell house in the middle of the forest doesn't seem to _belong_ , but then again, neither do _you_."  
  
"He's _almost_ as cryptic as _you_." Hector said, nudging Adira.  
  
"And yet, here you are!" Matthews said cheerfully. "There are refreshments in the lounge and rooms enough for all of you."  
  
"Thank you _so_ much, Mr. Matthews." Rapunzel said gratefully. "And, don't worry, you _won't_ even know that we're--"  
  
"Shorty! Put those down!" Eugene said, yanking a glass ball from the old man, then turning to Lance who started to juggle them. "I _said,_ 'put those down'!"  
  
"No, you said 'Shorty, put those down'." Lance corrected with a grin as he kept juggling.  
  
"Lance, put those down." Varian said, walking over to him. "Now."  
  
"Hm, well, when it put it _that_ \--catch!" Lance tossed a glass ball at him and Varian gasped and quickly caught it before it hit the ground.  
  
"You are _ridiculous_!" Eugene said, taking the one he still had and putting it back. Varian walked over and put the one he'd caught back.  
  
" _Sure_ you don't want to go back to the caravan?" Varian asked dryly.  
  
"Can you two stop _scolding_ him?" Cassandra frowned.  
  
"Thank you, Cassandra." Lance said cheerfully.  
  
"Stay _out_ of this, Lance." Cassandra said, looking away from him.  
  
"Hey, don't be telling him to stay out of what was originally _his_ business." Varian frowned at her.  
  
"Uhm..." Rapunzel chuckled awkwardly, "Mr. Matthews, it's so _beautiful_ here. What _is_ this place?"  
  
"It's called 'The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow'." Matthews said, leading them along through hallway lined with mirrors.  
  
"Isn't that just a fancy way of saying 'today'?" Varian raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I never use one word where two will do, right, correct?" Matthews smiled at him.  
  
"If that's what you like." Varian shrugged.  
  
"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho. Yes, quite. Here are ze guest bedrooms." He gestured to a couple doors. "Please, enjoy your stay...however long that may be." He walked off, leaving them to settle in.  
  
Varian watched him go, then followed the other guys into their room while the girls went into theirs.  
  
\--  
  
"I don't trust him." Varian said bluntly while the others investigated what the room had to offer.  
  
"Who, Matthews?" Eugene asked as he grabbed a towel to dry off.  
  
"Yes." Varian walked over and grabbed a towel as well. "I don't know _what_ it is, but he makes me feel... _gross_. Like when I'm around _Lucas_."  
  
"Are you _sure_ that's not just you being soaked to the bone?" Eugene asked teasingly. "Come on, dry off and you'll feel better in no time."  
  
Varian sighed and walked over to sit with Hector, who was petting Ruddiger. "I don't think that's it." He said, starting to dry off.  
  
\--  
  
"Something's not right." Cassandra said, sitting on one of the beds.  
  
"What do you mean?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"I mean, Varian's _right_. A huge place in the middle of nowhere that just _happens_ to be where we end up getting stuck in the mud? It's _suspicious._ " She got up. "And that guy, or innkeeper, or _whatever he is_ just takes us in, offers us food and place to stay for the night, without asking for _a single coin_?"  
  
"Short Hair has a point." Adira nodded, leaning against the wall. "We should be on our guard here."  
  
Rapunzel turned to them, her brow furrowed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this creepy place?


	17. Suspicious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something's going on with the group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"Shorty, don't go wandering off alone." Varian said as the old man walked out after Matthews came by to inform them dinner was ready.  
  
"He's Shorty, he'll be fine." Eugene assured him, then walked over to him. "So, uh..." he cleared his throat, "you seem to have...you know, really warmed up to us. I mean, threats of...sleeping dust aside."  
  
"I suppose." Varian shrugged.  
  
Eugene sighed and looked over where Hector was napping. He was pretty sure he'd wake up as soon as Varian decided to leave the room. "We haven't talked about...those weeks." He said, looking back at Varian. "Do you...Do you _want_ to?"  
  
Varian blinked in surprise. "Uhm...sure."  
  
"Want me to step out? Give you some privacy?" Lance asked.  
  
"No, it...it's okay." Eugene nodded to him, then motioned for Varian to come over with him. Varian got up and walked over to him, then took a seat in a chair Eugene gestured to before the man knelt in front of it. "Varian, from the _start_ , I wasn't fair to you. I saw your crazy-looking invention with all the blades and the straps and thought you were going to hurt Rapunzel. I know, from her explaining it, that you didn't _intend_ to, but that was what I thought. Just like the boilers, which you were _so convinced_ were safe and they weren't, I thought...well...accidents happen." He pursed his lips. "And so, I had looked into you and...heard some worrying things. And then there was what happened at the science expo which, while it _wasn't your fault_ , it only...well... _reinforced_ what I'd been hearing, that chaos and danger _always_ followed you." He took Varian's gloved hands in his own.  
  
"The night of the blizzard, I wasn't _there_ to see what _really_ happened. I only heard the _rumors..._ and what Nigel told the King. And I...I _believed_ them." He hung his head. "A man of _my reputation_ , and I didn't think to look beyond the rumors and get to know the brilliant kid who...who just wanted a _friend_. To be _noticed_ , to be... _loved_. I didn't look into _why_ you would've run into the castle _calling for help_ in the middle of a _blizzard_ , because I was _so_ convinced that you had hurt her that I didn't want to leave her side." He chuckled bitterly. "I was so worried about keeping her from _you_ that I didn't recognize that she was getting involved with a Disciple until she started _wearing shoes_..."  
  
He looked up at him. "And then...then the truth serum cookies. When I realized that you had sent in _truth serum cookies_ , something that shouldn't even _exist_ , I knew that it couldn't be good. And then I open the vault door and there you are, with Rapunzel, having just stolen the Sundrop Flower. You left so quickly...and then..." He sighed and looked down. "Rapunzel said that she didn't know _what_ you were, anymore. And, I know, that's harsh. And we should have gone to check on you before you sent that note, and we should have gone back to look for you." He chuckled bitterly. "But, I was so caught up in trying to be 'the perfect son=in-law' that I never questioned the King. Even after I saw proof that he'd lied about the rocks, so what _else_ could he have been lying about?" He squeezed his hand gently. "I don't know why you weren't in your lab at that time--"  
  
"Lucas." Varian said softly. "You had come when I was still outside getting food, and Lucas caught me before I could let you know I was there, shoved me behind a building and threatened me to keep silent. If you'd just...turned around when you were going in, you...might've seen me." He looked down. "I wonder what you would've done if you did. If you would've attacked me, or saved me. I had lost hope of the latter by then. All I wanted was for you to get the graphtych, maybe draw them away long enough that I could escape, but some part of me hoped...hoped that you'd look for me. That you'd save me that day."  
  
"I'm sorry we didn't." Eugene bit his lip, then looked up at him. "And then...then, the...the battle. I mean, hell, speaking as a former criminal, you get points for presentation. I mean, that speech, drawing out the entire Royal Guard so the queen was alone, sending in Ruddiger to attack, it was pure genius. How did you manage to _carry_ her, though?"  
  
"Laundry cart." Varian admitted. "Took it to the docks, hauled her on the boat and rowed back to my father's horse and cart. no one noticed us passing by because of the fog."  
  
"Yeah. Well, you can't blame us for all coming to fight you, can you?" Eugene chuckled a bit.  
  
"Oh, I obviously anticipated that. I anticipated everything but the hair not working, and then I didn't anticipate Rapunzel controlling the rocks." Varian sighed. "But...if she hadn't stopped me then, I would've..."  
  
Eugene nodded. "And then...well, once your trial was over, we just...left. We had a mission. We didn't think to check in on you, Rapunzel was _sure_ that her father wouldn't _lie_ to her again, but..."  
  
"He was _raised_ to be a liar." Varian looked to the side. "The Kingdom of Corona is built on gilded lies and blood."  
  
"That's deep." Lance commented.  
  
"Anyways, uhm..." Eugene sighed. "I want to apologize, kid. For...For _everything_. For not being the role model you needed, the role model you _wanted_. For not looking beyond the surface and the rumors. For not thinking to get to know you, especially since you had been so _eager_ to show off to me." He squeezed his hands again. "For not going to check in on you after the blizzard. For assuming you were dangerous. For leaving you, time and time again, to pick up the pieces until you were _physically_ torn apart...For not being there for you when you lost _everything_." He let go of his hands and pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm _sorry_! I'm _so, so sorry_! Can you _ever_ forgive me?!"  
  
Varian's small hands clutched at his back and he buried his face in his shoulder, his body trembling before soft sobs escaping his lips. "Yes." He whispered. "I-I can forgive you. I _do_ forgive you. Can you forgive _me_?"  
  
Eugene pulled back slightly, looking him in the eyes. "Kid...you have done _nothing_ to need forgiveness for, that you haven't already paid for in full a hundred times over." He assured him with a pained smile.  
  
Varian wiped at his eyes with his glove and then clung to him again. "Thank you."  
  
Eugene smiled and rubbed his back before gently stroking his hair. "Now, what do you say we get some food in our bellies, huh?"  
  
"I bet Shorty's already there." Lance got up.  
  
Varian nodded and Eugene got up to let him up. "Uncle Hector." He said, and Hector's eyes snapped open before he got up. "We're going to go eat."  
  
"Alright." Hector nodded.  
  
They walked out to the other room and Eugene knocked on the door. Rapunzel opened it and he smiled. "What are you three waiting for? Dinner's ready."  
  
Rapunzel smiled and then looked back at her roommates before looking back at them and gasping. "Oh! Varian, are you okay?"  
  
"I'm great." He smiled. "Eugene and I just had a heart-to-heart, that's all."  
  
"Oh, good." Rapunzel looked relieved. "Let's get going!"  
  
They walked out, Eugene pausing to examine a mirror outside the room as the others headed down the hall.  
  
\--  
  
Varian noticed that Eugene wasn't with them and looked back around the corner. "Eugene?"  
  
"Yep, just fixing my hair." Eugene assured him, walking back to the group. He ruffled Varian's hair with a grin. "Don't worry, just making sure I looked my best."  
  
Cassandra groaned, rolling her eyes.  
  
Ruddiger curled up tighter around Varian's neck, narrowing his eyes at Eugene. Varian didn't seem to notice his suspicion.  
  
\--  
  
Varian noticed that their host wasn't eating with them and cut into his food suspiciously, checking for any trace of poison or some other kind of drug. Eugene was examining himself in a polished knife, to Cassandra's annoyance, Rapunzel was feeding Pascal from her fork and Lance was chowing down.  
  
"Oh, come on, would you put that thing down?" Cassandra said irritably.  
  
"Here we go again." Varian muttered to Rapunzel, who nodded.  
  
"And why would I? You never put your sword down." Eugene retorted.  
  
"Cassandra, can you _please_ not start a fight at the dinner table?" Varian asked, rubbing his temple.  
  
The chair on Rapunzel's other side moved and Shorty climbed up into it, set a napkin on his lap, and started to politely eat.  
  
"...Guys, I think Shorty's possessed." Varian said, leaning back from him a bit as everyone else looked shocked when the man wiped his mouth with a napkin.  
  
Rapunzel looked a bit nervous. "Shorty, you're using a _napkin_ instead of... _nothing_."  
  
"Oh, so I am, huh." Shorty said, looking surprised, then tossed the napkin on the floor. "Please, pass the bread."  
  
Cassandra awkwardly handed it over. "Thank you." Shorty said as he took one.  
  
"'Thank you'?" Rapunzel looked at Varian, who mouthed "possessed" at her.  
  
"Uhh...Beard! Yam!" Shorty said, looking like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, then went back to his food.  
  
"Shorty, are you _feeling okay_?" Rapunzel asked him.  
  
He looked at her like a deer facing a crossbow.  
  
Rapunzel sighed and spoke quietly. "Varian, could you keep an eye on things here?" She got up and walked over to Eugene. "We need to talk."  
  
Eugene got up and followed her, taking his food with him.  
  
\--  
  
"You _seriously_ think Shorty's _possessed_?" Eugene chuckled.  
  
"Didn't you see him at dinner?" Rapunzel asked. "Perfect posture, impeccable manners, his breath wasn't...stomach-churning. Something is off!"  
  
"Yeesh, you've been spending _way_ too much time with Cass and the kid, you're starting to _sound_ like them." Eugene said, taking a bite of his food.  
  
"I'm _serious_ , Shorty isn't... _right_!" Rapunzel insisted. "If he's _not_ possessed, then someone is pretending to _be_ him!"  
  
They heard footsteps and she gasped, pulling Eugene into a wardrobe next to them. They looked out through the mostly-closed doors and saw him approach a mirror. Varian was creeping after him, staying just out of his sight.  
  
"What's he doing?" Rapunzel whispered.  
  
"I dunno, it's Shorty. 'Don't question it', remember?" Eugene shrugged. "Looks normal to _me_. You and the kid are just being--"  
  
"Shh." She moved a hand over his mouth.  
  
Varian suddenly pulled out something and sprinkled it on himself, making both him and Ruddiger disappear. Lance walked past him and to Shorty. "Hey, Shorty!"  
  
" _Well_ , if it isn't my stalwart companion, Lance Wardington." Shorty said in an unusually coherent way. "You're looking extraordinarily dapper. Take a look for yourself."  
  
Lance rubbed his head and turned to the mirror. "I literally wear the same thing everyday, but thanks for noticing--Ahh!"  
  
Rapunzel muffled her gasp with her hands as they saw Lance get pulled into the mirror by his reflection. The Lance that came back out had glowing, red eyes briefly. Eugene shut the door fully in case Shorty and "Lance" got curious.  
  
They heard footsteps as they walked away and then Rapunzel breathed a sigh of relief, then swallowed back a scream when the doors opened, Varian on the other side. "We've got a problem." He declared.  
  
\--  
  
"We have to find out what these imposters or doubles or _whatever_ they are _want_." Rapunzel started to pace anxiously. "And the _worst_ part is, we don't know who's been... _replaced_!"  
  
"We know Shorty and Lance, so that just leaves Cass, you, me, Eugene, and my aunt and uncle." Varian sighed. "We should've _never_ come here."  
  
"I know, _I know_ , I should've _listened_ to you again. But we're here already, and we need to figure this out." Rapunzel said, turning to him. "Oh gosh, what if _I'm_ an imposter?!"  
  
"What do you suggest?" Varian suggested.  
  
Eugene opened the door with a groan. "Okay, so, super-human strength."  
  
"Eugene!" Rapunzel ran to him.  
  
"You went _after_ them?!" Varian shook his head. "Bad idea."  
  
"I thought I could _question_ them, or throw them back into the mirror." Eugene leaned on Rapunzel a bit. "Thanks, Sunshine. By the way, since _when_ have you had invisible-dust?"  
  
"It's camouflage." Varian said flatly. "Like Pascal? It's not invisibility. And I actually figured it out around the same time as the truth serum, that's...how I got into the castle to give out the cookies." He shrugged. "Revenge can be _really_ motivating."  
  
"Apparently." Eugene sighed. "So...what's the plan?"  
  
Varian looked thoughtful, then took off his backpack and pulled out goo bombs. "...We track them down and pin them in place, see if they'll tell us who else is replaced."  
  
"What if we've already been replaced?" Rapunzel asked, then gasped. "Let's do a series of tests!"  
  
"Tests?" Eugene asked, raising an eyebrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do these imposters from the mirror want?


	18. Mirror, Mirror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's imposters on the loose! Can they catch them all before they achieve their goal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Varian and Eugene tracked down the Imposters and used sleeping dust on them, then hauled them to the dining room where Varian secured them with goo bombs. "Team Awesome." Eugene grinned, holding up a hand.  
  
Varian stared at him. "...Uhm...sure." He clapped his hand against his. "Didn't think you remembered."  
  
"Just trying to do better." Eugene smiled awkwardly.  
  
Varian smiled back, but it was an uncertain smile.  
  
"Okay, so, _explain_ this to me again?" Cassandra asked, looking at the bound Imposters. "Lance and Shorty _aren't_ Lance and Shorty?"  
  
"Apparently not." Adira remarked.  
  
"And the _real_ ones are...'inside the mirror'?" Hector asked.  
  
"The one in the hallway outside the guest rooms." Varian confirmed.  
  
"I don't get it either, but we saw it happen." Eugene shrugged. "Plus, _this_ Shorty threw me into a wall! I once saw the _real_ Shorty lose a fight to a _trout_ \- on dry land."  
  
" _Why_ was he fighting a _trout_?" Varian shook his head, chuckling in disbelief.  
  
"Don't question it." Rapunzel, Eugene and Cassandra all said in unison.  
  
Cassandra sighed. "Okay...this is just insane."  
  
"It _is_ insane!" Shorty said, and they looked over at them. "Don't believe them, Cassandra, I'm the _real_ Shorty."  
  
"Okay, okay. Shorty knowing who Cassandra _is_ is fishy, but Shorty knowing who _he_ is?" Eugene nodded. "There is _definitely_ something to this 'imposter' thing."  
  
"So, _what_ are they? And what do they _want_?" Adira asked.  
  
"And how many of _us_ are who we say we are?" Rapunzel said grimly.  
  
Suspicious glances were passed all around, and then Rapunzel sighed. "Right. Everyone sit at the table. Let's figure this out."  
  
\--  
  
"If we're going to get our friends back, we need to determine who is friend and foe with us right now." Rapunzel said, pacing around the table. "So, we're going to conduct a series of tests to prove that there are no other imposters among us."  
  
"Who will be the judge?" Cassandra asked. "Any _one_ of us could be a mirror-person."  
  
"I don't think animals can be impersonated." Varian said thoughtfully. "Pascal and Ruddiger can judge."  
  
"Do we _know_ that animals can't be impersonated, though?" Hector asked. "Did anyone _try_?"  
  
Varian looked thoughtful. "Okay. That goo will hold." He got up. "Let's test the theory." He walked off and they all got up to follow him to the hallway. Varian let Ruddiger down off his shoulders and Rapunzel let Pascal down. They both went over to the mirror and Ruddiger held Pascal up in front of it. There was a tense moment where the humans watched, and then Varian looked relieved. "They aren't getting pulled in."  
  
Pascal and Ruddiger knocked on the mirror and then they went back to their owners. "Let's get back and start those tests." Rapunzel smiled.  
  
\--  
  
The tests begin, with Ruddiger and Pascal basically using charades to show them what they wanted to do. Rapunzel's task was to make art out of a plate of food Pascal pushed towards her. "The _real_ Rapunzel can make art out of even the _dullest_ situations." Eugene said with a smile. "Turn it into something beautiful."  
  
"Okay, okay. Alright, let's see..." Rapunzel looked thoughtful, then got to work as everyone watched.  
  
She ended up using every bit of food that was still on the table and made a food model of Corona.  
  
"And...voila!" Rapunzel revealed.  
  
Varian let out a whistle of admiration.  
  
"A diorama of Corona." Eugene said in awe. "I am impressed. But, _any_ respectable artist would be able to create a completely edible replica--" He gasped as she smashed a model. "Uncle Monty!"  
  
"Yeah, that's her." Cassandra confirmed as Pascal went to Rapunzel and nuzzled her affectionately.  
  
"I don't get it." Varian shrugged.  
  
"Uncle Monty is one of _very_ few people that Rapunzel hates." Eugene explained.  
  
"... _What_ did you do to piss off the candy-maker?" Varian laughed.  
  
Rapunzel sighed. "Changed a picture. And...didn't follow traditions."  
  
Ruddiger went to Varian and tugged on his backpack. "Oh, my turn, now?" He asked, taking off his backpack.  
  
Ruddiger took things out of the backpack until he had set up his travel-size alchemy kit and one of Varian's goo bombs. He pointed to it, then to the kit.  
  
"Recreate the goo bomb." Varian nodded. "Got it." He set to work.  
  
They all watched with bated breath, partly because they wanted to know for sure and partly because they didn't know if it would blow up or not if it _wasn't_ the real Varian.  
  
Finally, he finished, poured it into an empty glass ball and shut the lid. "Now to test it." He got up, pulled his chair away from the table, then tossed the new goo bomb at the chair. It successfully was covered in goo, which Varian neutralized before bringing back his chair. Ruddiger climbed onto his shoulders and nuzzled him affectionately. Varian then put everything back in his backpack and put it on his back.  
  
"So, what do we do about Adira and Hector?" Eugene asked as Cassandra's test was decided on by the animals.  
  
Varian looked thoughtful. "...Eugene, I'm going to need you to do something potentially painful."  
  
Eugene got up. "What is it?"  
  
Varian motioned him closer. Eugene walked over and he whispered. "Touch Adira."  
  
Eugene blinked, then looked at her before he walked over and grabbed her shoulder.  
  
He was on the floor in five seconds flat, which is how long it took for her to grab him, get up from her chair and throw him. "Okay. She's real." Varian said casually.  
  
Cassandra laughed, then looked at the animals. "Oh, you have my task now?"  
  
Her task was to cut an apple into eight perfect slices, just like she'd been doing in the caravan. Cassandra got up, grabbed an apple and stepped away from the table. "Here goes." She tossed it in the air, then ran over and yanked Varian out of his chair. Hector got up instantly and she grabbed the neutralizer from his vest pocket before dropping Varian, jumping back to avoid Hector's blade and running to the bound imposters.   
  
"Stop her!" Adira ran over and swung a kick at her. Cassandra ducked low and neutralized the goo before running off with the others.  
  
"Okay, so I think we can guess that _Hector_ is safe." Varian said, then looked at Eugene. "Just one person left."  
  
"Shouldn't we go after them?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Somehow, I think _we're_ the prey. And we haven't tested everyone yet." Varian nodded to Rapunzel. "What do you suggest?"  
  
Rapunzel looked at Hector. "Hold him."  
  
Hector walked over and held Eugene tightly, so he couldn't break free. Then she walked towards him. "Okay, Eugene. Just a couple of questions."  
  
"Fire away, Blondie." He smiled.  
  
"First, what is Maximus' favorite food?" She asked.  
  
"Apples." Eugene replied.  
  
"What is Pete the Guard's middle name?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"The! Also Stan's middle name." Eugene said confidently.  
  
"Okay, Eugene." Varian walked over to him. " _I've_ got a question: What's Flynn Rider's motto?"  
  
"Motto?" Rapunzel looked at him.  
  
"'If something is not impossible'..." Varian prompted.  
  
Eugene stared at him blankly, then glanced to the side thoughtfully before he chuckled. "Wow. You got me." He suddenly swung around and slammed Hector into the ground. "I have no clue." He said, his eyes glowing red.  
  
Hector jumped to his feet and moved in front of Varian protectively.  
  
"Oh, and by the way?" Eugene chuckled darkly. "You were right: you _are_ the prey."  
  
They heard footsteps and saw the other imposters coming back into the dining room.  
  
"Run." Rapunzel breathed, and they took off running with the imposters giving chase.  
  
\--  
  
"If we stick together, they'll catch all of us!" Varian said as they ran. "We have to split up!"  
  
"We need a _plan_!" Rapunzel cried.  
  
"Okay, okay, so we know that they all must've been sucked into that mirror, right?" He gasped. "I got it! Eugene's imposter told us earlier that he was going to see if he could throw them back in! What if the real ones come out once we do that?"  
  
"Great, how do we do that?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Get me up high." Varian said as they entered a room with high shelves.  
  
Hector picked Varian up and they parkoured up.  
  
Varian pulled out sleeping bombs as Adira and Rapunzel caught the imposters' attentions and ran through the hallway. "Alright." He handed two to Hector. "I'm gonna have to make more, these are my last ones, so make it count!"  
  
Hector nodded and they waited for Adira and Rapunzel to run past before they threw the bombs. The green smoke told them it had opened and then they saw a bunch of unconscious imposters.  
  
"One's missing." Varian realized after they got down. "Eugene's not here."  
  
"We need to find him." Rapunzel said nervously.  
  
Varian looked at Rapunzel. "Get the rest of them to the mirror." He turned and ran off.  
  
"Varian!" Rapunzel called after him.  
  
\--  
  
Varian walked into the dining hall again. "I _thought_ you would still be here. I didn't see you chase us with the others."   
  
Eugene chuckled, standing by the table. "I thought that it'd be _Rapunzel_ to come back to find me, but apparently not." He turned to him. "Using the motto, that was clever. No one else would've thought of it."  
  
"How did you know about 'Team Awesome'?" Varian asked, walking closer to him.  
  
"The fool was saying something about how he regretted not actually being part of 'Team Awesome' with you." He shrugged with a smile. "So, you found me. What do you intend to do?"  
  
"You're not attacking me?" Varian frowned.  
  
"I _could_ , but I'd rather talk. It's not every day you meet the Moonstone, after all." He chuckled.  
  
Varian frowned. "How do you know what I am?"  
  
"Us Mirrorfolk can sense things like that." He walked towards Varian. "Why don't you come into the mirror? You might _like_ a break from your life."  
  
"No thanks." Varian said, stepping back as the man walked towards him. He stopped against the wall and winced as the imposter placed a hand against the wall, leaning over him. "Get away from me."  
  
"You have _no_ idea how _intoxicating_ the Moon's power is to us Mirrorfolk." He leaned in, breathing in his scent. "Even incomplete, you feel _amazing_."  
  
He suddenly jolted and then groaned in pain, falling to his knees. Varian quickly moved away from him and hid behind Rapunzel, who was holding her frying pan. "You okay, Varian?" She asked.  
  
"I am _now_." Varian said, eyeing the man warily as he got up.  
  
"Well, well. The Sundrop." He brushed his hair back and grinned. "Hey."  
  
"You're outnumbered, imposter." Rapunzel said firmly. "We got all the others back into the mirror, you're the _only_ one left! You can go _willingly_ , or we'll all _drag_ you there."  
  
The imposter looked around and realized the others had also gathered.  
  
"I'll _gladly_ smash in your nose to knock you out." Cassandra said, cracking her knuckles.  
  
"It's _over_." Lance said firmly.  
  
"...Rats." The imposter hissed, holding up his hands in surrender.  
  
\--  
  
"Get...IN!" Cassandra said, shoving the imposter forward as Eugene yanked him in from the other side. Then he climbed out and gasped, holding up his hands. "Hold on! We need to test you!"  
  
"What's Flynn Rider's motto?" Varian asked.  
  
"'If something is not impossible, it's not worth doing'." Eugene grinned. "Is _that_ how you figured out he wasn't _me_?"  
  
"It's Eugene!" Varian ran forward and hugged him.  
  
"Aw, I missed you, too, kid." He rubbed his head. "Now, what do you all say we turn this mirror around and avoid _any_ another mirrors that we didn't bring in ourselves in this creepy place?"  
  
"Agreed." They all nodded and turned the mirror around.  
  
"Heeey, where's my yam?" Shorty patted at himself, then pulled it out of his beard. "Oh, there it is." He took a bite and walked off.  
  
"...I just realized that he's had that same yam for...almost a full year." Eugene said, watching him go.  
  
"...R-Regenerating yam?" Varian said in disbelief.  
  
"Don't question it." Rapunzel giggled. "Group hug!"  
  
Adira stepped back. "Uhm, no."  
  
"Well, anyone that wants one." Rapunzel opened her arms and everyone but Adira and Shorty went in for the group hug.  
  
"Now, let's get _out_ of here!" Eugene suggested, and they all ran for the front door. "I don't know about all of you, but I'd take a night in that rainy caravan over one in this inn _any day_!"  
  
"I'm with you, Fitzherbert." Cassandra said.  
  
"Let's get out of here!" Rapunzel said, running to the door.  
  
"Must you leave so soon?" Matthews asked, and they stopped and turned to look at him.  
  
"Yeah, we're not feeling too welcome here." Varian said, reaching up a hand to stroke Ruddiger's fur.  
  
"Or rather, we feel like someone wants to welcome us _too much_." Lance shuddered.  
  
"Ah, so you have met ze people in ze mirror." Matthews chuckled. "I should have warned you about them. Oh well! Live and learn. Or just live. Heh." He looked at them. They all exchanged nervous looks and Adira and Hector moved closer to Varian. "Ze good news is, you are welcome to stay as _long_ as you like. You might even grow to _enjoy_ it."  
  
"'Enjoy it'? Uh, _no thank you_!" Rapunzel said firmly, turning back to the door and opening it. "We'll take our chances in the..." She faltered, staring in disbelief at the roaring storm, "rain."  
  
"I mean, we could _conceivably_ go out in that..." Varian sighed. "Looks as bad as the blizzard, though."  
  
"I sure hope your beasts went to the stables before _this_ started." Adira said, looking at Hector. He nodded.  
  
Cassandra sighed. "I'll take first watch?" She offered.  
  
They all gathered in front of the roaring fireplace with blankets and pillows and settled down to rest where everyone could see each other and the door. Rapunzel curled up by the fire next to Cassandra and drew in her journal while Varian curled up with Lance and Eugene, his Flynn Rider book open for the three of them to read together quietly, Ruddiger around his shoulders. Adira and Hector stood by the door and Shorty snored away.  
  
Cassandra looked at Rapunzel and she paused. "Oh, right. Quill. Sorry." She smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Actually...go ahead." Cassandra said softly. "What's a little scratching noise among friends?"  
  
"Thanks, but...I can write about the mirror later." She sighed. "Something tells me that I _will_ remember it." She pulled her pillow closer and laid her head down to sleep.  
  
Varian shuddered a bit and Eugene gently squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. "Feel up to sleeping?"  
  
"After my experience with your freaky mirror version?" Varian laughed awkwardly. "Proooobably not."  
  
"Yeah, that was...something." Eugene nodded. "I wonder why he remembered things like Rapunzel hating Uncle Monty, but not...well, Flynn Rider's motto?"  
  
"Maybe because you're trying to put Flynn Rider behind you for good." Varian shrugged. "When is the last time you read one of these books?"  
  
"...Too long." Eugene said softly.  
  
Lance started to whistle and then paused. "Oh, right. You guys don't like my whistling."  
  
"Start over, we'll join you." Rapunzel smiled at him. "I can't sleep, anyway."  
  
He smiled and then started to whistle again. The others joined in one by one, everyone but Adira, Hector and Shorty.  
  
\--  
  
Blue eyes flashed green as a figure leaned on an axe sticking out of the stump of the fallen tree that they hadn't noticed. "And now, the _real_ games begin. Let's see you how handle _this_ next puzzle, my little bird." Lucas purred before he vanished in a flash of green fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Storms, mirror people, what's next?!


	19. Top

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a turn for the...small.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

The next morning, they were all woken up by the sun shining through the windows high above them. "Mmngh..." Varian rolled over and then blinked before sitting up. "Okay, who's on watch right now? You can sleep now." He looked around and realized _everyone_ was asleep. Come to think of it, when did _he_ fall asleep? He pushed himself up, the blanket he didn't remember draping over himself falling off his shoulders as he did, and he looked around again. "Guys! GUYS!"  
  
They all stirred and he got up and went around to each of them, shaking them awake. He had to quickly move back to avoid Adira hitting him when he shook her, but she quickly moved her hand back when she realized who had been touching her.  
  
"Sorry." She said quietly.  
  
"It's fine." Varian went on to Hector.  
  
"What's going on?" Eugene asked, yawning.  
  
"Well, for _one_ thing, the door is gone. Secondly, we were _all_ asleep. Who was supposed to be on last watch?" Varian started to tug at his glove anxiously.  
  
"Wait, hold on. Back up. The door is--what happened to the DOOR?!" Rapunzel cried in alarm.  
  
"GUYS!" Varian walked over to them. "Who was supposed to be on last watch?! Did _anyone_ notice anything _weird_ last night?!" He paused. " _Besides_ the mirror-people."  
  
"I-I don't know." Rapunzel frowned. "Eugene, did you...?"  
  
"I don't remember feeling _sleepy_." Eugene admitted. "I mean, I was sitting up reading with Varian and...huh." He looked at the book next to him, which was sat aside neatly with a bookmark in it. "Varian, do you _use_ bookmarks?"  
  
"No, I just memorize where I left off." Varian walked over and picked up the book, opening it to look at the bookmark of a bird left in the book. "...Okaaaay..."  
  
"Do you recognize it?" Rapunzel walked over to him.  
  
Varian sighed heavily and held up the bookmark, shutting the book with his other hand. "...'Little bird'. _Lucas_ is around here."  
  
" _What_?" Hector hissed.  
  
"Man, _that_ guy needs a hobby." Lance said, shaking his head.  
  
"Okay, so, let's not panic. So, there's a Disciple of Zhan Tiri around here causing trouble. No worries, we'll just... _avoid_ him and find another exit!" Rapunzel looked around. "He must've put us to sleep last night before he...I guess, made the door disappear."  
  
"There _has_ to be a limit to that kooky guy's magic." Eugene shook his head.  
  
"Now, come on, it can't really be _gone_. I bet it's just invisible!" Lance walked over to the wall and knocked on it before he felt around for any sign of a door. He laughed awkwardly, then started to wail. "It's completely _gone_! It's no use, we're trapped, it's all over!" He beat on the wall, then hung his head before turning to them. "Okay...what's for breakfast?  
  
\--  
  
"Come on, guys, there's _gotta_ be another way out of this place." Rapunzel said as they walked down the hall.  
  
"Is it just me, or is there more _doors_ than yesterday?" Varian frowned. "I _know_ this was a blank wall before."  
  
"Maybe it all looks the same and you got confused. We didn't exactly give a full exploration of the place." Eugene said with a shrug.  
  
Rapunzel opened a door and went through it, then came out another door further down. "Uh..."  
  
"...Great." Varian groaned. "I _knew_ that things were weird."  
  
Cassandra walked over to open another door, then yelped as a gust of wind nearly sucked her in. Hector ran over and pulled her back out and she leaned against him, panting heavily. "That's not an exit."  
  
Eugene walked over to a door that didn't look like an oyster shell and opened it. He saw dogs open glowing red eyes and then they started to approach him. "Dog, dog, dog, dog!" He cried in alarm, and Rapunzel yanked him away with her hair, Eugene closing the door as he went and leaning against it. "A _dog kennel_. And why _not_ , right?"  
  
"Well, at least we can take _that_ door off the list." Rapunzel said as she started to tie her hair up again.  
  
"Hey, I found a way out!" Shorty called to them and started to go through it.  
  
They walked in after him and Lance gasped. "Whooooa."  
  
They were facing a brightly-colored room _full_ of children's toys. It would be _paradise_ for any young child.  
  
"Huh." Varian looked around as they walked through it.  
  
"Shorty, this _isn't_ a way out!" Cassandra told the man, who was bouncing on a trampoline.  
  
"Well, not with _that_ attitude, it's not." He said as he kept bouncing.  
  
Cassandra sighed. "Well, look, the _adults_ would like to find a..." She looked around and realized that Rapunzel, Eugene and Lance had left her side.  
  
Varian shrugged. "May as well see what this place has." He walked over to a bookshelf.  
  
" _All_ the toys in here, and he goes for the books. Neeeeeerd!" Eugene said teasingly before he went to check out some of the toys.  
  
Rapunzel found a pink bear and walked up to Eugene with it. "Hello!" He said, giving it a silly voice. "My name is Eugene Fitzher...bear! Rawr!"  
  
" _Wow_ , yeah, your teddy bear voice could use some work." Eugene said, chuckling. "Not to mention your _pun skills_ , Blondie."  
  
"Okay, fine, fine." She rolled her eyes as she lowered the teddy bear. "But, isn't this _crazy_? Whoever all this belongs to is one lucky kid."  
  
"We're in a building that has already proven to have some magical properties." Varian said, taking a book off the bookshelf. "There's no sign of any child in sight, but there's an entire, fully-stocked playroom. Doesn't this seem _odd_ and _suspicious_ to anyone _else_?"  
  
"Maybe a _little_." Rapunzel admitted. "You know, I didn't have many toys growing up. Moth--Gothel thought they were...impractical."  
  
Eugene's expression softened. "Well, indulge yourself, then."  
  
Cassandra walked over to Varian. "Does this seem like something Lucas would do?"   
  
"This? Not unless the toys attacked us. He turned 'tag' into a torture method." Varian sighed. "Took us outside to Old Corona and gave us the chance to run for the exit. If we got to it, we'd be set free." He smiled bitterly. "You can guess how often I lost."  
  
Cassandra gently took his hand. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Your dad..." He took a deep breath, then released it. "He actually tried to make it easier on me during those weeks, and then he wasn't allowed to be involved in my...imprisonment. If it wasn't for him, I _would_ have been..." he made a face, "deflowered by Lucas."  
  
Cassandra looked relieved. "Well...I'm glad that he was there to make it less...horrific."  
  
Varian nodded. "He was the one that let me out into the woods, supervised, to get food. He also checked on me if I didn't come out for a few days."   
  
"So, you might show him mercy?" She nudged him.  
  
"Yeah." He nodded. "I might."  
  
\--  
  
"Ohh, what's _this_ colorful thing?" Rapunzel asked as she went to take a colorful top off the shelf. "Eugene, look!"  
  
"That's a top." Eugene walked over to her. "It's one of the most basic of children's toys, much like the yo-yo--uh, the hey-hey."  
  
"But, what is its purpose?" Adira asked.  
  
"You just...spin it. It looks like this one has a button on top and it spins on its own." Eugene pointed to it.  
  
"But does it actually serve any kind of _purpose_?" Hector asked, looking at it curiously.  
  
"Adira!" Lance tossed her a toy sword and she caught it, blinking. "'Spar' with me!"  
  
She shrugged. "Alright." She walked over to him.  
  
"It's just for entertainment." Eugene chuckled.  
  
"Ohhh, let's push the button!" Rapunzel said excitedly.  
  
"Adira, Lance, we're going to push the button!" Hector called over.  
  
"Come on, Shorty!" Lance scooped him up and they went over as Eugene set the top down on the floor.  
  
"Everyone ready? Hey, Varian! Cass! Come and check out this top!" Eugene called.  
  
" _Sorry_ , Eugene, we're having an adult conversation over here about serious, non-child things." Cassandra called back. "I'll check out the top in a bit."  
  
"Your loss." Eugene shrugged.  
  
"You know, in the Dark Kingdom, we didn't _have_ toys that were just for entertainment." Hector said. "Everything had to have something to improve physical or mental ability."  
  
"I wonder if that was _Varian's_ childhood, too?" Lance mused.  
  
"Push it, Eugene!" Rapunzel said excitedly.  
  
Eugene pushed the button and the top twirled around and around and around, releasing flashes of light and color.  
  
"Does this seem weird to anybody else?" Shorty asked.  
  
\--  
  
"Well, I think we've spent enough time in here." Varian said, putting the book he had back. "We still have to find the exit."  
  
"Uhm...Varian?"  
  
He blinked and looked over, blinking in surprise at the adults that were now...  
  
" _Why_ are you all _children_?" Cassandra asked in disbelief.  
  
"We found a top..." Rapunzel pointed at it, looking a bit sheepish.  
  
"Lance, give it back!" Eugene said as he chased the other boy, who was carrying the top.  
  
Shorty had been reverted to a complete baby, Adira and Hector looked to be around three years old, Eugene and Lance were around five, and Rapunzel was eight.  
  
"...What in the _Sun_?" Varian breathed.  
  
"We didn't know this would happen." Rapunzel said, sheepishly putting her hands behind her back and her feet fidgeted together. "Are you mad? Please don't be mad! I'm sorry!"  
  
"Wha--no, I'm not mad." Varian assured her, kneeling down to look her in the eyes and brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "I'm just...confused."  
  
"Give it!" Eugene yelled again. "Varian, Cass, Lance won't give me back the top!"  
  
" _I'll_ handle this." Cassandra said, walking over to them. "Come on, Lance, give back the top."  
  
"No! It's mine!" Lance ran from the room with Cassandra chasing him.  
  
Varian looked at the baby and toddler and walked over to grab a wagon. "Uhm...let's...yeah." He put them in it, then picked up Rapunzel and Eugene and put them in the wagon. "Let's go find Lance. Where is Pascal?"  
  
Rapunzel held up the baby chameleon that had been hiding in her hair. Varian slapped his hand to his face and pulled the wagon out. He stopped and looked back. "Hector, if you climb out, I will goo you in there." Hector stopped trying to climb out, looking up at him with wide, yellow-green eyes. "Same goes for the rest of you. Stay in the wagon." He told them as he pulled them along. "Let's see if we can find Cass and Lance."  
  
"Hey, hey, hey!" Eugene said excitedly.  
  
"What?" Varian asked.  
  
"Can _I_ pull the wagon?" Eugene asked eagerly.  
  
"No, you're too little." Varian shook his head and looked around. "Come on, Cassie, where did you go?" He muttered.  
  
Eugene stood up in the wagon. " _Now_ can I?"  
  
Varian stopped and looked at him. "Standing up in the wagon doesn't magically make you taller." He raised an eyebrow. " _Or_ stronger."  
  
"Let me _try_!" Eugene insisted.  
  
"Pleeeease?" Rapunzel chimed in.  
  
Varian stared blankly, then sighed heavily. "Alright. Come on."  
  
"Yay!" Eugene hopped out and went to take the handle. "Oof! It's too heavy!" He whined as he tried to pull it.  
  
"Let me try!" Rapunzel got out and went to take the handle with him, the two of them pulling it with all their might. "Come oooooon!"  
  
Varian sighed heavily and looked around. "Just _had_ to leave me with _most_ of the kids."  
  
"Can I try?" Hector asked.  
  
"Me?" Adira held up a hand.  
  
Shorty squealed and giggled.  
  
Varian sighed. "Maybe later, okay? If I don't take the handle back, we'll never get anywhere." He walked over to it. "Come on, Eugene, Rapunzel. Let me have the handle."  
  
"No, I can _move_ it!" Rapunzel wailed.  
  
Varian's shoulders slumped and he walked over to push it from behind as they pulled. They cheered when it moved along, convinced it was their own doing. He let them think it.  
  
\--  
  
"Where did you _go_ , you little _brat_?" Cassandra muttered as she looked under the dining room table, then looked over when she heard the squeaking of wheels and laughed a bit as she saw Varian coming in with the wagon. "Whoops. Sorry!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. did you find him?" Varian asked.  
  
"No." Cassandra sighed.  
  
"Right." Varian looked at Ruddiger on his shoulders. "Ruddiger, search and apprehend."  
  
Ruddiger hopped down and sniffed at the air before he headed off. Varian walked after him, leaving Cassandra with the other kids.  
  
"We pulled the wagon!" Rapunzel said cheerfully.  
  
"Oh, _did_ you?" Cassandra asked.  
  
"Uh-huh! All by ourselves!" Eugene said proudly.  
  
"Wow." She looked over where Varian went. "Okay, then."  
  
\--  
  
"Lance?" Varian called as he followed Ruddiger. "Laaaance?"  
  
He heard giggling and walked over to stand next to a wardrobe. He knocked on it. "Is anyone here?"  
  
"Nooo, no one's here!" Lance said from inside, then giggled.  
  
"Really? That's too bad." Varian pulled off his backpack and took out a cupcake he'd snagged from the table on his way here. "Because I have a delicious cupcake if anyone _is_ here."  
  
The door opened and Lance rolled out, holding out his little hands. "Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme!"  
  
Varian knelt in front of him. "I want you to stay with me, okay?" He offered him the cupcake.  
  
He took the cupcake eagerly and bit into it. "Mmmmm!"  
  
"Come on." Varian picked him up. "Ruddiger, help us find the way back."  
  
They walked down the hall, Lance trying to climb up on his shoulders and Varian keeping a firm hold on him. "Can I ride your shoulders?"  
  
"No, that's Ruddiger's spot." Varian shook his head.  
  
"Can I pet the kitty?" Lance asked.  
  
"Raccoon, and he's working. He's finding our way back to the others. Lance, where is the top?" Varian looked at him.  
  
"Uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhm, uhmmmmmm...I dropped it." Lance admitted.  
  
"Where?" Varian sighed.  
  
"I dunno, I was running from the scary lady with the sword!" He shrugged.  
  
Varian sighed heavily. "It's okay. We'll find it."  
  
They got to the dining room, where Cassandra was apparently overwhelmed by the kids and had been tied up while Varian was away. "...What happened?" He asked in disbelief.  
  
"Adira and Hector tied me up because Eugene wouldn't believe that they could tie rope!" She fumed. "And Eugene took my sword and then they all ran off!"  
  
Varian set down Lance next to Shorty. "Okay. Let's go find them." He walked over and pulled out Cassandra's knife from her belt to cut her loose. "Is Rapunzel with them?"  
  
"Yes." Cassandra groaned and got up. "How are you so good with kids?"  
  
"When I wasn't in my lab, I got asked to watch the little kids because all the _other_ kids my age were busy doing _farm work._ Lance, you ready to go for a ride?"  
  
"Yeah!" Lance cheered.  
  
"You gave him a cupcake?" Cassandra asked, then watched as Varian grabbed more. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Getting bribes." Varian put them on a plate and handed it to her. "I'll pull the wagon. Don't eat those. Ruddiger, let's find the Princess." He started to pull the wagon along as Ruddiger led the way.  
  
"Can I have a cupcake?" Lance asked, still holding half a cupcake.  
  
"You already got one. Those are for the others." Varian reminded him.  
  
"Oh." Lance went back to his own.  
  
"I'll get you another one later, if you're a good boy, but don't tell the others, okay?" Varian winked at him.  
  
Lance smiled brightly and nodded.  
  
"Varian, his teeth are going to _rot_ if he has too many sweets." Cassandra frowned.  
  
"As often as he eats sweets as an adult, you would think he wouldn't have any if that was the case." Varian smirked at her.  
  
"I'm just saying, you're spoiling him." Cassandra sighed heavily.  
  
"And what's wrong with a happy kid, huh?" Varian asked.  
  
"Nothing, just--" Varian held up a hand. "Hey, I--"  
  
"Shh." Varian let go of the handle and crept over to a door Ruddiger was in front of. He knocked on it twice. "Princess? Are you in here?"  
  
He heard some movement inside and chuckled, opening the door a bit. "Princess Rapunzel?"  
  
"Shh, I'm not here!" She whispered.  
  
He walked over to the bed she was hiding under. "Are you playing hide and seek?" He asked, kneeling next to it and looking under it.  
  
"Yeah, Eugene's trying to find me." She nodded.  
  
"Well, as fun as that is, there's a cupcake with your name on it if you come out of here and get in the wagon with Lance and Shorty."  
  
She gasped and got out of her hiding place to run out to the wagon. Varian got up and walked out to see Rapunzel being given a cupcake before she climbed into the wagon. "Yummy!"  
  
"Let's go find the others." Varian smiled and grabbed the handle, pulling the wagon along.  
  
"Fancy this!" Matthews said, walking up to them. "Ah, I see someone has got into the nursery!"  
  
"Yeah, we're missing three kids and a top." Varian sighed. "Can you help us find them?"  
  
"Of course, of course!" He smiled and walked with them as they continued to follow Ruddiger. "I believe I saw one of them over by the dog kennel, the one called 'Hector'?"  
  
"Of course." Varian chuckled. "What can you tell us about this top? And have you seen a strange man with bright, blue eyes around here?"  
  
"I don't believe I have seen anyone of that description. As for the top, well, it is called The Top of Time." He reached down and picked up Shorty and nuzzled him. "Ohh, look at the baby! And ze Princess is quite adorable, too, and zhis one, as well." He chuckled. "I love children."  
  
"Okay, so what does this top _do_ , exactly? It's reversible, right?" Cassandra asked.  
  
"Why does ze baby have a _beard_ , though?" Matthews mused.  
  
"Matthews." Varian stopped and looked at him impatiently.  
  
"Oh, of course. Ze older you are, ze younger it makes you." He scoffed. "Zhis one must've been _ancient_." He set Shorty back down in the wagon.  
  
"How do we _undo_ this?" Varian asked.  
  
"Why, you simply find zhat top and spin it in reverse!" Matthews explained cheerfully.  
  
"Okay, that seems easy enough." Varian said thoughtfully.  
  
"Of course, you only have one hour to do so." He warned them.  
  
" _What_?!" They both cried.  
  
"What _is_ it with magic transformy things and only giving us an hour to fix it before it's permanent?!" Cassandra threw her hands up in exasperation.  
  
"You've dealt with this kind of magic _before_?" Varian asked.  
  
"Rapunzel and I once drank tea served to us by a couple in the middle of the woods that allowed us to turn into birds. But, if we didn't get back and restore ourselves to our proper forms, we'd be birds _forever,_ and our minds would be lost." Cassandra explained.  
  
"...So, if they stay as children, they might never regain their own minds." Varian realized. "Alright, we need to split up. You go find Eugene--"  
  
"Heeeeeey!" Eugene walked up to them. "Punzy, we were _playing_!"  
  
"Oh, good, that saves us some time." Varian picked up a cupcake. "Eugene, you can have this if you get in the wagon and stay in it, okay? Lance, do you have _any_ idea where you dropped the top?" He looked at him as Eugene grabbed the cupcake and climbed into the wagon.  
  
"No..." Lance shook his head.  
  
Varian sighed. "Okay. I'll go find Adira, _you_ go get Hector." He told Cassandra. "Once we have them, Ruddiger can use their scents to track down the top. And hurry!"  
  
Cassandra handed Varian the plate of cupcakes and ran off.  
  
"Ruddiger, find Adira." Varian said, and the raccoon sniffed the air and then took off, Varian following him with the wagon.  
  
\--  
  
To Varian's relief, he found Adira taking a nap in one of the bedrooms. He parked the wagon in the room, shut the door and walked over to her. "Adira?" He said gently. "Adira, wake up."  
  
"Mmm..." She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him, blinking. Then she sat up and bowed her head. "I apologize for running off from my assigned caretaker, Varian. Hector was insistent."  
  
Varian sighed. "I'm not mad. Do you want a cupcake?" He offered her one and she took it, looking at it with surprise. "Go on."  
  
"But...I disobeyed. Why are you rewarding me?" She asked.  
  
"Well, I never _specifically_ said to stay with Cassandra, did I?" He grinned. "Come on, everyone else got a cupcake. Go on and eat it."  
  
She looked at him, then at it and then took a bite. He smiled and then gently ushered her over to climb into the wagon. "Let's go find Cassandra and Hector."  
  
\--  
  
Cassandra bolted from the kennel with Hector under her arm and slammed it shut on the barking dogs. "Okay, Hector? You _have_ big animals, you _don't_ need a 'big dog'!"  
  
He pouted up at her.  
  
"Don't you pout at me!" She carried him down the hall. "Let's see if we can find--agh!" She tripped on something and fell on her back. Hector escaped her hold and ran off back to the kennel. "No, no!" She got up and groaned. "Oww."  
  
"Cass!" Varian to her, pulling the wagon behind him. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay. I tripped on...the top." She picked it up.  
  
"Great. Where's Hector?" Varian asked.  
  
"He just ran back to the kennel." She sighed heavily. "I don't think cupcakes are gonna work on this one."  
  
Varian looked thoughtful, then took off his backpack to pull something out. "Hey, Ruddiger, let's see if you can get him to come out, hm?" He held up the alchemy balls for his large form.  
  
"Varian, this place is _way_ too small for that." Cassandra hissed. Ruddiger hopped up and Varian tossed the ball into his mouth. "Varian!"  
  
Ruddiger grew into his larger form and Cassandra was relieved to see that the place wasn't _too_ small for it. Not too big, either, but he could move around. Varian walked over and opened the door. "Hey, Hector?" He called. "Got something big for you to play with."  
  
Ruddiger poked his head in and the dogs shrank away, going back into their cages. Hector gasped excitedly and ran over to hug Ruddiger and Varian shut the door. "Alright. That's everyone. Let's get them fixed."  
  
Cassandra set the top down as Varian took everyone out of the wagon and brought Hector over. Then she hit the top and they both backed up as the top spun and the others were engulfed in a bright light. The light faded, they were back to normal.  
  
"Uhm... _that_ was an experience." Rapunzel said, blinking in a stunned way.  
  
"Can I still keep the cupcake?" Lance asked.  
  
Varian took the top and wagon. "Let's take this back to the nursery, and then we'll keep looking for a way out."  
  
"Yeah." Cassandra groaned. "Mind if I hitch a ride in that wagon?"  
  
Varian walked over and lifted her in his arms, to which she gave a startled yelp. "Uh, what?!"  
  
"What?" He asked, putting her in the wagon. "I'm a country kid. You thought I was weak?" He grabbed the handle and pulled it along, Cassandra blushing with embarrassment as the others laughed, following behind them. "Come on, Cass, I built automatons and all sorts of stuff."  
  
"...You just...don't _look_ that strong." She said, glancing away.  
  
Ruddiger changed back and scampered over to climb onto his shoulders, nuzzling him.  
  
\--  
  
"Isn't he _brilliant_?" Lucas cooed.  
  
Matthews sighed. "Well, it seems that all of _my_ plans aren't working. What do _you_ suggest?"  
  
"You know that idea you had for the Sundrop?" Lucas grinned. "Let's include the Moonstone, too. Incomplete or not, he used the death spell against my vines in the Great Tree splendidly, _so_ powerful. She'll love it."  
  
"Yes. Let's do that." Matthews nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk about a close call!


	20. Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel and Varian wake up to find themselves back in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"Varian! Varian, it's time to wake up!"  
  
"Mmn..." Varian groaned and slowly opened his eyes. To his shock he found himself in...his bedroom? He sat up and looked around, his mind processing what last happened at rapid speed. He was in that strange, magical house that looked like a seashell, with...with...  
  
Who _else_ was there with him? A girl with blonde hair...Princess Rapunzel?  
  
"Varian, are you awake?"  
  
He jolted, hearing his dad's voice. Wait, why did that _alarm_ him? "Uhm, yeah, I'm awake." He said, stepping out of bed.  
  
"It's a beautiful day, son. You should come out to see it."  
  
Varian walked over to pick out his clothes, pausing when he saw his mother's old clothes. He felt compelled to put them on, but knew that it wasn't good clothes for when he wasn't going to be doing alchemy, and when his dad said "come out and see the beautiful day", it meant he _wasn't_ going to be doing alchemy.  
  
He put them on anyway, complete with the alchemy gear. It felt...right. He looked at himself in the mirror and tilted his head in confusion before he went to check his height against the board he'd been keeping track of it. He'd gotten...taller. When did _that_ happen? He looked more adult, too.  
  
"Varian? Did you go back to sleep?"  
  
"Uhm, no, I'm coming." He grabbed his boots and put them on, then stepped out of his room.  
  
His father was standing in the hallway and Varian felt his heart skip a beat when he looked at him. "You're going to the coronation celebration in _that_?" He asked with an amused smile.  
  
"...Coronation?" He blinked.  
  
"Of Princess Rapunzel. Did you forget?" He reached out and rubbed his head.  
  
Right, the Princess of Corona's coronation weekend. He had been _sick_ before, though, wasn't he?  
  
Wait..."before"?  
  
How could there be a "before", if it was happening at this moment?  
  
"Varian, are you feeling alright?" His father asked with concern.  
  
"Uhm...sorry, I guess I was so excited about a project I've been working on that I forgot. I'll get changed." Varian said, stepping back into his room and removing his clothes after shutting the door. He paused when he removed his shirt and turned around in front of the mirror, feeling compelled to look at his back for some reason. He looked over his shoulder and didn't see any reason that he would _want_ to.  
  
Maybe it was because of that _dream_. That horrible, _horrible_ dream where he became a _criminal_ and his father was caught up in his alchemy and the King didn't care about his subjects. Where he'd been whipped in the interrogation room of the dungeon, while the King _watched_.  
  
He shuddered and grabbed a clean, blue shirt to pull on, with a black vest, then removed his mother's gloves and put on his black leather ones, instead.   
  
"Never remove your gloves." He murmured, then put his mother's clothes and alchemy gear away after he changed into black pants instead of his mother's old brown ones and tucked his pants into his leather boots, leaving his mother's old rubber ones with the rest of her clothes. Then he tied back his hair into a ponytail, pinned his long bangs out of his face neatly and headed back out.  
  
"Much better." His father smiled and nodded. "Come along, we'll eat breakfast and then go to Corona Capital."  
  
Something felt... _wrong_ about this. His father _never_ smiled this much...right?   
  
\--  
  
Princess Rapunzel woke up the morning of the start of her Coronation Weekend with the sun shining in her eyes as her Lady-in-Waiting pulled the curtains open. "Morning, Raps!" Cassandra greeted.  
  
"Mmm..." Rapunzel sat up, yawning. "Good morning. What's with your outfit?"  
  
"I know!" Cassandra said cheerfully, looking at her Lady-in-Waiting uniform. "It's _cute_ , right?"  
  
Well, _yes_ , but that's not what Rapunzel meant.  
  
"Cass? Uh..." Rapunzel realized something and looked around her. "We're in _Corona_?" She stepped off her bed, holding her blanket on around her.  
  
"Well, where _else_ would we be, _silly_?" Cassandra grabbed the blanket and yanked it off her, and Rapunzel stopped in front of the mirror, her eyes widening as she gasped.   
  
Her hair was...brown. Short and _brown. "_ My hair!" She cried, clutching at it anxiously. "What...What happened to _my_ _hair_?"  
  
"Eh, looks like just a mild case of bedhead." Eugene said, walking into the room, chuckling. "You've had worse, I'm sure. And good _morning,_ Cassandra!" He playfully pointed at her with both hands.  
  
"Good _morning_ , Eugene!" She said, playfully pointing back at him.  
  
Wait. _That_ wasn't right. Cassandra and Eugene _hated_ each other, why were they _getting along_? Rapunzel looked over at them with a confused expression on her face.   
  
"Looks like _someone's_ got some pre-coronation _jitters_." Cassandra stage-whispered playfully to Eugene.  
  
"Coronation?!" Rapunzel asked, confused. " _What_ are you _talking_ about?" She walked over to them.  
  
Eugene laughed. "Very fun--" He stopped when he realized she really didn't know what he was talking about. "Oh, you're _serious_. Gotcha. Yeah, no, Sunshine." He walked her over to the mirror. "It's your coronation weekend." He looked concerned. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, it's just that..." She walked forward and turned to them. "This _isn't_ how things _are_. The Coronation _already happened._ My _blonde hair_ is _back_. We left Corona almost a _year_ ago to travel the Dark Kingdom, we met Varian on the prison barge and now we're _friends again_ and...and..." She looked at them. "Is _none_ of this _ringing a bell_ _?"  
  
_ "Well, nothing but the name 'Varian'. He's the son of the mayor of a farming village on the outskirts of Corona, and his father is one of your father's dearest friends." Cassandra chuckled. "Why would _he_ be on a _prison barge_? He's, what, _fourteen_?"  
  
"I have _no_ idea." Eugene admitted with a grin.  
  
"This girl has a _wild_ and _vivid_ imagination." Cassandra chuckled.  
  
"Must've been some _crazy_ dream last night. The coronation that hasn't happened yet happened, something about a 'dark kingdom', and you dreamed a teenager was on a _prison barge_?" Eugene shrugged. "Hey, maybe you'll get lucky and you'll see him in town and you can, heh, _ask_ him if he's ever _been_ on a prison barge."  
  
Rapunzel sighed. "You're right, that...that _does_ sound pretty ridiculous." It felt _so real_ , though...  
  
But, if the dream was real, then it meant that her father had really...had really hurt Varian. This boy that she only really knew in a dream but _really existed_...  
"Hey, uh," she turned to them. "Does Varian have a teal stripe in his hair like this?" She mimed it on her own head.  
  
"Honestly, I don't know. Most of us in the Capital haven't actually _seen_ the kid." Cassandra admitted. "He's a recluse. But if it bugs you _that_ _much_ , why don't you and Eugene go down to Old Corona while you're out riding today and see if you can meet him, hm? Now, this has been fun, but it's a busy day and we _do_ have a schedule to keep." She grinned. "So, whaddya say we get this day started, huh?"  
  
Pascal hopped up onto her shoulder and they held out their hands to her. She smiled and ran forward to hug them. "That sounds _perfect._ "  
  
"Rapunzel, _there_ you are!" Her father walked into her room with a smile.   
  
Why did she feel _so...ill_ looking at him? Like she couldn't trust _anything_ he said?  
  
"Hi, dad!" She said, smiling awkwardly.  
  
"Is everything alright?" He asked, hugging her.  
  
"I just...had a weird dream." She brushed her hair behind her ear.  
  
"Well, the good thing about weird dreams is that they go away when we wake up." He chuckled.  
  
"Pops! Up high!" Eugene held up a hand and King Frederic clapped his hand against his with another chuckle.  
  
Rapunzel chuckled at the interaction, trying to put her strange dream and the accompanying feelings behind her.  
  
"Cassandra, I need to borrow our Princess for a moment." King Frederic said pleasantly.  
  
Cassandra chuckled. "Can it wait until she's dressed?"  
  
"Oh, yes, of course!" He stepped out and Eugene went with him.  
  
"Come on, let's get you dressed up." Cassandra led Rapunzel along.  
  
\--  
  
Varian sat quietly next to his dad as they rode the cart to Corona Capital. He kept looking to his side, expecting to see...something...there, but he didn't see anything.  
  
"Hey, dad?" He asked, looking up at him. "What would you say if I got a pet raccoon?"  
  
"That's a bit of an unconventional pet." Quirin remarked. "But, if that's what you want, son, I'm sure you can befriend one of the local wildlife. You've always been good at that."  
  
Varian nodded. "...Like Uncle Hector?"  
  
Quirin paused. "...Who?"  
  
"N-Nothing. I just..." He laughed awkwardly. "I had a weird dream that I had an uncle and aunt named Hector and Adira. And Uncle Hector really liked wild animals."  
  
"A dream?" He smiled a bit. "And what happened in this dream?"  
  
"We went on an adventure outside of Corona with the Princess of Corona, but her hair was long and golden. There were other people there, too, but I don't remember who they were." Varian admitted.  
  
"Did you have a pet raccoon in this dream?" Quirin guessed.  
  
Varian nodded. "I named him 'Ruddiger', because I'm sooo original, I just gave him our _last name_ for a name!" Varian chuckled.  
  
"It's a good name." Quirin nodded, then sighed. "But, it's just a dream, Varian. You've never left Corona, and the princess has short, brown hair now. Remember? I told you it got cut when she was rescued?"  
  
"Y-Yeah, I remember." Varian nodded. "It was just a dream."  
  
"Just a dream." Quirin smiled. "Was it a pleasant one, though?"  
  
"...Sometimes. It had some...upsetting points." Varian sighed. "I was a bad guy for some of it."  
  
"How could my precious, pacifist, brilliant, _genius_ son _ever_ be a bad guy?" He moved one hand from the reins to wrap around Varian, pulling him close. "The whole town _adores_ you, you're our little secret treasure." He rubbed his head affectionately. "You've helped out the people of Old Corona _so much,_ and everyone in the Capital is always asking us how we have such amazing crops. We don't tell them, though. They might try to steal you away!" He joked, squeezing his shoulder affectionately.  
  
"Heh...yeah." Varian glanced away, tugging at his glove a bit.  
  
He looked up at the bridge leading to the Capital, feeling a lump in his throat. Everything seemed so perfect...but then, why did it feel so wrong?  
  
"Of course, _everyone_ is looking forward to your next secret project. We just _know_ it's going to be something the entire Kingdom will envy again." His father went on.  
  
They could hear the celebration music being played as they started to cross the bridge.  
  
And all Varian could think was: I have to find Princess Rapunzel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a perfect, wonderful life!


	21. Puzzle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel and Varian meet for the first time...again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

The Capital was abuzz with everyone setting up activities, some of them already active. Rapunzel giggled as she watched kids playing on the bouncy house and then turned to Eugene when he brought her some candy. "For you." He said with a grin. "When did you want to go out riding?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know. I was thinking of checking out all of this stuff, actually." Rapunzel smiled. "I mean, if you really want to, we can go--"  
  
"Nah, it's fine. Nothing to see out there, anyway." Eugene brushed it off.  
  
Rapunzel heard the sound of wheels on stone and looked over to see someone parking their cart. Wait, _why_ did she feel compelled to look over? Especially since Eugene was still talking to her. Her eyes widened as the man helped down the teenager in the cart with him, a teenager with black hair with a teal streak.  
  
"Could go see the art show, I think that's almost done setting--Sunshine?" Eugene waved his hand in front of her face. "You with me?"  
  
"Oh, uhm..." She looked back at him, then over at the cart again as the man took the teenager's hand and led him along into the crowd. He was wearing different clothes, but that was definitely the same freckled boy from her dream. "Uhm, excuse me." She said, hurrying after them.  
  
Eugene shrugged and followed her.   
  
"Do you want some candy, Varian?" She heard the man ask.  
  
"Sure." The boy replied.  
  
They went into a store called Monty's Sweet Shoppe and Rapunzel stopped outside it, watching them. The boy picked out a lollipop and she saw the man talking and laughing a bit before the boy walked out with his father again. He stopped short when he saw her and she could _swear_ she saw _recognition_ in those blue eyes.  
  
"Uhm...hi." She smiled.  
  
"Princess Rapunzel." The man said, bowing low. The boy followed suit and she felt an ache as her mind superimposed another image of him in the same pose, in different clothes.  
  
"Oh, uhm, it's okay, you don't have to bow." She said, smiling awkwardly. They got back up. "I don't think I've seen you around! You weren't there at my birthday celebration, were you?"  
  
"We always do the Lantern Festival festivities from our home." Her father answered for him. "Varian, why don't you say 'hello'?"  
  
"H-Hi." He glanced away, looking...guilty? Confused, for sure.   
  
"It's nice to meet you, Varian." Rapunzel smiled.  
  
"Nice to meet you, too." He nodded.  
  
"You will have to forgive him, Princess, he doesn't do well around people." The man - Quirin, her mind supplied, he was in the dream - said apologetically.  
  
"Oh, well, I'm still getting used to people myself." She admitted. "Eighteen years in a tower, heh..."  
  
"Hey, Sunshine." Eugene walked over and kissed her cheek. "Who's this?"  
  
"Oh! Eugene, this is Varian." She looked at him.  
  
"Ahhh. Did you ask him your weird question yet?" He asked teasingly.  
  
"Weird question?" Quirin asked.  
  
"It doesn't matter." Rapunzel said awkwardly. "I don't want to upset him."  
  
"I'm okay." Varian assured her. "What is it?"  
  
"Okay..." She took a deep breath, then moved closer. "Uhm...can we talk privately, actually?"  
  
"My son doesn't keep any secrets from me." Quirin assured her. "Whatever it is you have to say can be said in front of me."  
  
"I just meant, you know, away from _the crowd_." Rapunzel assured him.  
  
"Okay." Varian nodded, then looked at a nearby library. "We'll go in there."  
  
They went into the library and took a seat near the back, in a corner away from anyone else. "Okay..." She sighed. "So, my weird question...last night, I had this _weird dream_. You were in it. I was on this adventure, and I met you on a prison barge and then you joined me for the rest of it. Weird, right?"  
  
Varian started to answer, but Quirin spoke up, "A dream is just a dream. Seeing as my son _has_ never and _will_ never be on a prison barge, I don't see how this is relevant to reality."  
  
Rapunzel kept her temper. "I believe I asked _him_ the question, sir."  
  
Quirin sighed. "Very well. As the Princess commands. Go ahead, son."  
  
Varian glanced at his father and then looked at Rapunzel. "I...I had the same dream, but...from _my_ side."  
  
"No _way_!" Eugene blurted out. "What are the _odds_ , eh? Well, we got our answer, let's get going." Eugene took Rapunzel's hand. "It was nice meeting you, Varian."  
  
Varian nodded, watching as Rapunzel got up and left with Eugene.  
  
"Well, that was fun!" Eugene said as they walked out. "What's next?"  
  
\--  
  
Varian didn't like this. On the one hand. his father was actually attentive. On the other hand, he was _too_ attentive, to the point of dominating Varian's conversation and trying to keep him from talking to people, saying that he was "shy" and "bad with crowds". Which was _true_ , but he thought he was doing well enough! Then again, the narrative he'd been told about his life was completely different from the dream.  
  
In the dream, he'd been a troublemaker. Everyone _hated_ him, and his alchemy was distrusted. He was always making messes, and his father spent more time apologizing for what he'd done than talking to Varian. And what was that about "no secrets"? In the dream, his father and Varian kept so many secrets from each other it was _painful. A_ nd it'd led to...to...But, it was just a _dream_ , because his father was right here and Rapunzel's hair was short and brown and...everything was perfect.  
  
Well, aside from the apparently not talking to people thing. Oh, and the panic attack he got while caught in a crowd without his father briefly, but he was pretty sure that was related to being mobbed by a _literal army of masked men_ in the dream.  
  
He moved a hand to his shoulder, feeling a phantom pain of a wound that didn't actually exist. Quirin looked at him with concern and moved his hand off his shoulder. "Is everything alright? Do you want to go home?" He asked.  
  
"N-no, I'm okay." Varian assured him.  
  
"Alright." Quirin smiled. "Do you want to go see the art show? That's nice and quiet."  
  
Varian nodded and Quirin led him along, never letting go of his hand aside from very brief moments.  
  
He didn't like this. This overprotective nature was almost _possessive_ , and the whole "secret treasure" bit _honestly_ freaked Varian out. Why would Old Corona keep his talents locked away? Why _not_ share them with the rest of Corona? If he'd helped them so much, wouldn't they want him to help the _rest_ of the Kingdom? And this...this whole _persona_ that he'd been given, the quiet inventor son of the Mayor of Old Corona, the brilliant alchemist that kept to himself? He didn't like it. That wasn't him. Yes, he liked having solitude to work, but he _hated_ being _alone_!  
  
He tried to slip away once or twice and actually managed it a third time, ducking down behind a barrel to watch as his father passed by him, looking for him. He needed to get to the bottom of this strange, perfect "other reality" and he couldn't _do_ that with his father watching his every move like an assigned guard.   
  
He got a flash of icy, blue eyes in his mind and he shook his head. Why did he just think of that guy from his dream? That horrible, horrible guy that wouldn't _leave him alone,_ who left bruises on his arms and shivers down his spine when he whispered threats of immoral things in his ear as he held him pressed against his chest, Varian's arm wrested behind his back painfully, things _no_ child should hear...  
  
He waited until he couldn't see him anymore and then slipped through the crowd, looking for Rapunzel. He didn't know what it was, but if she had the _same dream_ , then something was going on and they needed to work together to solve this puzzle.  
  
He spotted her with her boyfriend and noticed that he was doing the same thing that Varian's father was - keeping a close eye on her and distracting her with fun things. Varian crept along and waited for Eugene to be looking away before he grabbed Rapunzel's wrist and tugged her behind a box with him. She let out a yelp and he covered her mouth to muffle it and judging by her expression they _both_ just got the same deja vu feeling.  
  
"We need to talk. Alone." He whispered. "Let's go to the tunnels, no one else knows about them but us."  
  
"You mean _the_ tunnels? From the dream?" She whispered back.  
  
He nodded.  
  
They crept off together.  
  
"...Sunshine?" Eugene looked around, having noticed she was gone. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."  
  
\--  
  
"They're going to freak _out_ , I just went missing during the coronation weekend celebration." Rapunzel said, looking nervous.  
  
"Yeah, and my dad is going to have a _panic attack_. There's just one problem. That's _not_ my dad. And this _isn't_ our Corona." Varian said, sitting next to her.  
  
"Uhm...you look nice, by the way."  
  
"Thanks." He nodded. "You do, too. Never seen you with short hair."  
  
Rapunzel sighed. "So...do you really not like crowds?"  
  
"Well, I've never been a _fan_ of them, but getting mobbed can kind of making you have some social anxiety, don't you think?" He looked at her. "Okay, so. We both knew about the tunnels, we both had the dream, we both know something isn't right, right?"  
  
"Right." She nodded.  
  
"So, there _has_ to be a reason we were taken back to this time, the day before you touched the rocks." Varian sighed. "You get the feeling your boyfriend is, uh, _watching_ you?"  
  
"Sometimes." Rapunzel nodded. "But, so is everyone else. I mean, I'm the Princess."  
  
"Not like _that_. I mean like you're...prey." Varian glanced away. "My dad said I was Old Corona's 'little secret treasure', and that I've been doing alchemy and inventing stuff to help them in secret for _years_."  
  
"That doesn't add up to the dream." Rapunzel frowned.  
  
"Yeah." Varian nodded. "So..." He sighed. "Let's recap. The last thing that I remember for sure happened in the dream was..."  
  
"I turned into a child, then changed back!" Rapunzel said excitedly.  
  
"Well, some stuff happened _after_ that, but yes. We were looking for the exit and decided to call it a night because we weren't getting anywhere." He sighed. "I had a bookmark held in my hand from..." His brow furrowed. "From..." He groaned. "Do _you_ remember?"  
  
"Uhm..." Rapunzel looked thoughtful. "No. I'm missing key things, like names and...I don't remember who half the people in the dream _were_. I know Eugene, Cass, you...but everything else is...blank."  
  
"I remember Aunt Adira, Ruddiger, Uncle Hector, and you." Varian sighed. "It's so frustrating. do you remember who it was I talked to with the mirror?"  
  
"Mirror?" She blinked.  
  
"My _cellmate_. I..." Varian sighed. "We need to get out of here. Our memories are _fading_ , being _overwritten_."  
  
"Yeah." Rapunzel nodded. "What do we _do_?"  
  
Varian looked thoughtful. "...Okay, let's look at the variables. Whoever put us in here, they put us _right_ before two pivotal moments in your life. your coronation and when you touched the rocks, What changes have you noticed?"  
  
"Lady Caine was arrested this morning." Rapunzel's brow furrowed. "So..."  
  
"So, she won't interrupt the coronation. Which means, if all goes as planned, that crown will be on your head, probably trapping you here forever." Varian said grimly. "I don't know how they intend to trap _me_ , but I think the black rocks are our exit."  
  
"Varian," Rapunzel's brow furrowed, "I was told that you _never_ came to the Capital, or at least people didn't know you at all beyond your name and your relation to your father."  
  
"Uncle Monty knew me enough to make a joke about me always picking the same kind of candy." Varian shrugged. "But, no one _else_ seemed to know me."  
  
"So, why would he decide to bring you out to the Capital during my coronation weekend? What do you think his aim is?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. An official debut?" Varian shrugged. "I mean, I'm old enough for one of those fancy ones. Maybe he intended to introduce me to the king and..." his eyes widened, "have me start working in the castle as an inventor. Locking us _both_ into Corona, forever."  
  
"So...black rocks?" She offered him a hand up.  
  
He took her hand and stood up. "We need to get out of the city without accompaniment. When is that banquet of yours?"  
  
"Tomorrow." Rapunzel pursed her lips. "...Eugene is going to try to propose to me."  
  
"Well, don't. Everyone will be at the banquet, it's our best chance to sneak out and take a boat to the monument." Varian nodded firmly.  
  
"Right." She nodded firmly. "I'll meet you at the docks, then."  
  
"Meet you there." He took her hand again and shook it, then looked towards the entrance of the tunnels. "...Assuming I can get away from _my dad_."  
  
"...Yeah." She chuckled awkwardly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can they escape this strange world?


	22. Cage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian and Rapunzel want to leave this world, but this world wants to keep them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Eugene and Quirin were together when they returned to them, and Varian was pulled into a crushing hug before he was checked over anxiously. "Where _were_ you? No one saw where you went!" He said anxiously. "I told you to stay near me, didn't I?"  
  
"I-I got caught in the crowd." Varian said, glancing away and tugging at his glove. "I'm sorry for worrying you. Princess Rapunzel saw me and took me somewhere quiet we could sit and talk and I could c-calm down."  
  
Eugene smiled. "That's my girl, always thinking of others even on her special weekend." He kissed her cheek.  
  
Quirin smiled gratefully at her, gently stroking Varian's hair. "Thank you for helping him, Princess."  
  
"It's no trouble at all." Rapunzel assured him. "You told me earlier that he doesn't do well with crowds and, well, when I saw him _without you_ I just _knew_ that I should help him."  
  
"Well, we should be getting back to the castle." Eugene took her hand. "It was _lovely_ meeting you two, though."  
  
"Perhaps we will be seeing you there, I need to say hello to my dear friend King Frederic." Quirin said, gently squeezing Varian's shoulder. "Unless, of course, you've had enough of the Capital, Varian?" He looked down at him.  
  
Varian shook his head. "I'm okay."  
  
"Well, we'll see you later, then." Rapunzel smiled and then walked off with Eugene.  
  
Eugene looked over his shoulder at Quirin and smiled before he wrapped his arm around Rapunzel's waist.  
  
\--  
  
"I _told_ you this would be great." Lucas chuckled as he stood over Varian, who was fast asleep beside Rapunzel, who was also asleep.

"Yes, now that zhey have met in zhe dream, zheir power is stronger." Matthews said, stroking her hair as glowing vines curled around the sleeping duo. Her hair was gently glowing, as was Varian's.  
  
"We just need to worry about the _others_." Lucas said, reaching out to stroke Varian's cheek. "And to keep a better eye on _these_ two. They already slipped away _once_ , after all."  
  
"Yes, well, _I_ can only keep an eye on _her_ , it is on _you_ to keep _him_ in line." Matthews sighed heavily. "Az for 'ze others', ze 'Ouse will take care of zhem."  
  
"Yeah, that's what _I_ thought about the _Tree_." Lucas chuckled. "Then again, if I'd _let_ the flower eat her lover and his friend, then they wouldn't be here."  
  
"Well, zhey won't have 'is Song o' Death here." Matthews looked back at Rapunzel. "Well, back to work." He adjusted the vines around her slightly.  
  
"A Disciple's work is never done." Lucas said, chuckling.  
  
\--  
  
"Rapunzel! Varian!" Eugene called as they walked through the halls.  
  
"Varian, where _are_ you?!" Adira called.  
  
"Ruddiger!" Hector ran forward as he saw the raccoon running back to them. "Did you find them?"  
  
Ruddiger shook his head, then ran in a circle and looked distressed.  
  
"Okay...so..." Eugene held up the bird bookmark. "Wherever this guy _took_ them, he's found some way to keep Ruddiger from detecting their scents. So, we're going to have to do this the long way."  
  
"Check every door, huh?" Cassandra sighed. "Might be best if we split up, then."  
  
"No one goes alone." Adira said firmly. "Fish Skin and Earrings, you go together. I'll take Shorty, Shorthair and Hector, you're going together."  
  
"Well, as long as I'm not stuck alone with you." Cassandra said, rolling her eyes before she walked off.  
  
Hector followed her. "Ruddiger, come on." Ruddiger followed them and climbed on his shoulders, letting out a little croon. Hector sighed. "Yeah, I'm worried, too."  
  
"Sure you don't want to trade?" Lance asked Adira, wriggling his eyesbrows.  
  
"...Okay. I'll take Fish Skin." Adira nodded to him. "You can have Shorty."  
  
"Uh, well, I meant--"  
  
"Let's go, Fish Skin." She walked off.  
  
Eugene sighed and shrugged at him before following her.  
  
"Why don't you drown your sorrows in the yam?" Shorty said, holding it up to Lance.  
  
\--  
  
Cassandra looked around, checking every door she could, even wardrobes. Some part of her was hoping this was just them playing a prank on the group, but...  
  
"Cassandra!"  
  
She froze and turned to see a door had opened, with a white light inside. "...Who's there?" She asked, walking towards it. "Rapunzel? Varian?" She drew her sword and walked into it, looking around.  
  
"Cassandra!"   
  
"I'm coming!" She called, running into the light.  
  
The door closed behind her.  
  
\--  
  
"Well, doesn't _this_ just scream 'Disciple of Zhan Tiri'?" Eugene said as he and Adira stood in front of a door with a black goat head with glowing, green eyes on it. "Looks _just_ like that demon's head."  
  
"Let's check it out." Adira pulled out her sword and kicked down the door and they ran inside.  
  
The room was full of vines, with a statue of Zhan Tiri towering over all of them. Two figures were standing in the room, and Eugene gasped as he realized who they were, and who was lying on the altars they were standing next to.  
  
Lucas and Matthews, though both were in fancy clothes that they weren't in before, with matching headwear and clothes, Matthews in red and purple and Lucas in blue and purple.  
  
"Oh, look, brother. Intruders." Lucas said with a sly smile.  
  
"Well, zhis won't do." Matthews said, turning to them as both their eyes glowed green. The door was lifted up by glowing vines and set back in place behind them and Eugene and Adira looked back at it before facing the Disciples again.  
  
"Figures that _you're_ one of those creepy guys, too!" Eugene said, pointing at Matthews.  
  
Pascal squeaked from a cage he was trapped in, rattling it to try to get out.   
  
"Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh, less noise. Can you not see that zhey are sleeping?" Matthews scolded them.  
  
"What are you _doing_ to them?" Adira said, clenching her fists.  
  
"Nothing at all, besides giving them a pleasant dream." Lucas assured her. "They aren't even a little hurt." He stroked Varian's hair fondly.  
  
"Don't _touch_ him, you _pervert_!" Eugene snapped.  
  
"So noisy." Matthews clicked his tongue and they both raised their hands, Matthews holding a staff, and vines wrapped around the intruding duo faster than they could escape them and slammed them against the wall.  
  
"Matthews!" Eugene cried.  
  
"Not quite." Matthews chuckled and changed into a floating, green form. "I am Tromus!" He declared. "And our Master, Zhan Tiri, has a great _need_ for the Sundrop and Moonstone."  
  
"And while the _actual_ Moonstone is...well, _out of reach_ , a _piece_ of it is wonderfully mobile, and soooo easy to attain." Lucas purred, running his finger down Varian's cheek. Adira thrashed in her vines. "Relax, he's not being hurt. He's having a happy dream, I told you. To him, his life is _perfect_. No pain, no grief, no heartbreak or broken promises to cry over."  
  
Adira's eyes widened.  
  
"It's a beautifully enticing dream, isn't it? I'm sure we _all_ wish our life was so perfect." Lucas smirked.  
  
"While zhey dream, our vines are wrapping around them. Once zhey wrap around them fully, zhey'll have surrendered to ze dream world, and zheir limitless power will belong to Zhan Tiri!" He gestured to the statue, which was turning green slowly.  
  
"And then our Master will return, and chaos will reign once more." Lucas chuckled darkly.  
  
"Blondie! Wake up!" Eugene called.  
  
"Varian, please!" Adira called.  
  
She hoped that Hector would hear her and come running. She couldn't do _anything_ , she _hated_ feeling so _helpless_!  
  
"Come on, _wake up_!" Eugene cried.  
  
"Mm-mm-mm-mm, nope. Sorry." Tromus said as Lucas held up his hand and vines wrapped around their heads to cover their mouths. "The only way _zhat's_ going to happen is if they break out of zhe dream themselves."  
  
"But, will they _want_ to leave _paradise_?" Lucas smirked. "Especially my little bird. Reality has been...soooo cold to him." He stroked down his chest and rested his hand over Varian's heart. "You have _no idea_ just how many times his heart has been broken by people like _you_."  
  
"If I were zhem, _I_ wouldn't." Tromus chuckled.  
  
Eugene and Adira glanced at each other, unable to speak with the vines covering their mouths.  
  
\--  
  
Varian felt a bit anxious as he walked into the castle with his father. He rubbed at his wrists, feeling the phantom sensation of shackles binding his arms nagging at him like the ones for the scars on his back.   
  
Quirin smiled encouragingly at him, his hand gently squeezing his shoulder, the one on the far side from him so that his arm was wrapping around his back to so do. "Are you nervous? It's your first time meeting the King. Well, you _did_ meet him when you were a baby, but you don't remember that."  
  
"Y-Yeah...is he nice?" Varian asked.  
  
"Oh, he's the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Well, aside from your father, of course." He nudged him playfully.  
  
They walked through the doors and Varian tensed as they passed by Stan and Pete, the guards who were never apart from each other. Even on that horrible day when he was thrown out in a....a...  
  
 _What_ was he thrown out into? _When_ was he thrown out? Why? Why did he fear the castle when he'd _never been here before_?  
He was losing more memories of the "other world", he realized.  
  
They had to get out of here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time is running out!


	23. Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With their memories of the "other world" slowly fading, Rapunzel and Varian have to try to hold onto who they are until the banquet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Rapunzel walked down the hall with Cassandra and Eugene. "I've been having the _greatest_ day. I even made a new friend today!"  
  
"She met Varian." Eugene chuckled. "And, no, he's never been on a prison barge. He's real quiet, and doesn't seem to do well with crowds. It's no wonder you haven't met him yet."  
  
"But, maybe you'll meet him today!" Rapunzel said cheerfully.  
  
"Maybe, but let's not forget that today isn't _just_ about having fun." Cassandra chuckled.  
  
"I know." Rapunzel smiled.  
  
They turned a corner and Rapunzel gasped when she saw Varian and Quirin outside the throne room. "Oh my gosh, I was just talking about you!" She ran over and hugged Varian and he let out a surprised yelp. "I was worried you'd change your mind and go home after your scare earlier!"  
  
"N-No, I'm here." He smiled awkwardly.  
  
Rapunzel gasped. "Oh my gosh, I _have_ to show you my paintings. Do you mind?" She looked up at Quirin.  
  
"Well, I think that will be alright, if Varian wants to. I'll come and find you later." Quirin smiled at him.  
  
Varian nodded quietly and let Rapunzel pull him along, Cassansdrda trailing along behind them. He looked over his shoulder and saw Eugene saying something quietly to Quirin before he followed them.  
  
"So, you're Varian?" Cassandra asked cheerfully.  
  
He nodded, looking at her. Rapunzel recalled that he'd said he didn't remember Cassandra. Maybe this could help him remember her?  
  
They got to Rapunzel's bedroom and Cassandra and Eugene stood to the side to watch them while Rapunzel pulled Varian along and showed him different paintings she'd done.  
  
He spoke quietly, surprising her, "I think Eugene and my father are working together."  
  
"What makes you say that?" She asked quietly.  
  
"I saw him say something to my father just before following us." Varian glanced at the man, who was joking around with Cassandra.  
  
"What about Cass?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"I don't know. But, Eugene and my father are the most suspicious." He paused. "Rapunzel, _why_ was I on the prison barge?"  
  
"What?" She looked surprised.  
  
" _Why_ was I on the prison barge? I can't... _I can't remember_." He looked at her. "Can _you_?"  
  
"I..." Her eyes widened. "I don't. It's been--"  
  
"--overwritten." Varian nodded. "We don't have time to wait for the banquet."  
  
"So, what do we do?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"We go tonight." Varian nodded firmly. "I'll sneak out of my room and meet you at the the secret dock under the bridge to Corona."  
  
"There's a secret dock?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"The Stabbingtons told me about it." Varian nodded firmly. "We need to--"  
  
"Lots of whispering going on here!" Eugene said, walking up to them. "Are you two keeping secrets?"  
  
"We're just talking about how to make the best first impression for my father." Rapunzel lied. Funny, she didn't feel _bad_ about it.   
  
"I'm sure Varian's dad has that already handled." Eugene assured her, then pulled her close. "Why whisper that, though? It's not like it's nothing I shouldn't _hear_ , right?"  
  
"Right." Rapunzel smiled. "I was just being discreet, for Varian's sake."  
  
"Of course." He kissed her sweetly, then let go. "But, we should probably get him back to his father soon."  
  
"Yeah, Raps, we have _sooooo_ much to do!" Cassandra chimed in cheerfully.  
  
They walked off together, but stayed in the room. Varian watched him go, then looked at Rapunzel. "...Does he do that often?" He whispered.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"Kiss you." He frowned a bit.  
  
"Uhm...no, this was the first time since I woke up here...oh gosh, if you're _right_ , then I just kissed a _stranger_." She brought her hands up to her lips.  
  
Varian nodded.  
  
\--  
  
"There you are!" Quirin smiled as Varian was brought down to him. "The King is busy today, but he promised to talk to you tomorrow, okay? Why don't we head on home before it gets dark?"  
  
Varian looked back at Rapunzel. "Uhm, okay. See you tomorrow, Princess."  
  
"Take care going home!" She said, waving cheerfully.  
  
"Did you have a good time?" Quirin asked as he took Varian's hand and led him out, heading back to the cart.  
  
"Yeah, the Princess is really nice." Varian nodded.  
  
"That's good." Quirin smiled and then lifted him up onto the cart once they got to it, then climbed on himself. "Let's go home and have something delicious to eat!"  
  
Varian nodded, rubbing at his head. He felt weird, kind of drained...like there was a leech on his body just slowly sucking away his blood. He gasped when he felt his father's hand on his shoulder again and then looked up as he realized they'd already gotten back to Old Corona. "You must've been tired." Quirin said sympathetically as he climbed down and lifted Varian out of the cart. "Come on, let's get you inside and fed before I take you to bed."  
  
Varian nodded, frowning a bit when he wasn't set down and instead was carried into the house. Once there, he was finally set down and he stepped back while his father locked the door. "Why don't you go play the piano while I make dinner?" Quirin suggested.  
  
Varian nodded and walked down the hall to the music room, where the piano was sitting. He walked over and sat down to open the cover, then moved his hands over the keys thoughtfully before he started to play a song.  
  
He didn't know how he knew this song, but it was what first came to mind. It brought to mind images of flowing, black hair and blue walls. Of glowing green vines that turned black and died, and moans of pain.   
  
" _Wither and decay..."_ he sang softly, _"end this destiny. Break these earthly chains and set the spirit free. The spirit free._ "  
  
" _That's_ not a very happy song." Quirin walked into the room. "Why don't you sing something with more cheer?"  
  
Varian blinked, looking up at him. "What about food?"  
  
"Water's boiling." Quirin smiled. "Why don't you sing something happier?"  
  
Varian's brow furrowed. "Happier..." He looked back at the piano and started to play, singing some other words that came to mind, that made him think of flowing, blonde hair and green eyes and words on a scroll. " _Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the Fates' design. Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine. What once was mine._ "  
  
"Much better." Quirin smiled and squeezed his shoulder, then walked out.  
  
Varian looked over at him, his brow furrowed, then looked back at the piano, doing a different tune this time as he sang along with the slow, solemn sound. " _Believe me, I know, I've sunk pretty low. But, whatever I've done, you deserve. I'm the bad guy, that's fine. It's no fault of mine. And some justice, at last, will be served._ " His eyes widened and he picked up the pace. " _Now, it's time to rise up or it's time to back down, and there's only one answer for me. And I'll stand up and fight, 'cause I **know** that I'm right, and I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready..._"  
  
He stood up, staring at the piano. How could he have _forgotten_? The blizzard, the masked men, his _crimes_... " _Ready as I'll ever be._ " He said softly, clutching at his back, his body trembling.  
  
He looked at the door, his eyes narrowed. Whoever that is out there, it's _not_ his father. His father was waiting for him to come home with the Moonstone and free him from his amber prison. _That_ was why he was on the prison barge. _That_ was why he was so _hurt_.  
  
" _I will make you proud. Get the Moonstone and set you free. Don't you worry, whatever it might take, I am on my way._ " He shut the cover of the piano. " _And I swear again, that whatever becomes of me, anyone who dares to stand in my path is going to pay!_ " He clenched his fists and walked towards the door. " _They...will... **pay**_." His eyes flashed blue. "I'm getting out of here." He opened the door and walked out to go down the hall.  
  
"Varian, are you done in there already? Dinner's not ready yet." Quirin said as he poured something into the pot.  
  
"Let me leave." Varian said firmly.  
  
"Such a hostile tone." Quirin remarked, stirring the food. "Has something upset you?"  
  
"You're _not_ my father!" Varian snapped. "Let me _leave_!"  
  
Quirin paused and chuckled, setting the spoon down. "No, I'm _better_ than your father. _I_ actually _care_ about you." He turned to Varian, his eyes flashing green, and Varian stepped back. "So, you've figured it out. I thought you might, you've always been _wonderfully brilliant_. But, just because you and the Sundrop _know_ you're in a fake world, it doesn't mean you can _leave_ it." He walked towards him and Varian stepped back again, his pulse picking up. "And, _honestly_ , why would you _want_ to? Reality is... _miserable_. People _hate_ you there, you're an active fugitive that has to wear a _cloak_ to hide your identity!" He walked even closer and Varian found himself backed up against the locked door. "If you _stay here_ , you can have a happy life. What does it _matter_ if it's fake? Your father cares for you, your inventions all work, the King is kind and just, and now you're even best friends with the Princess! It's a perfect, happy world."  
  
"It's _not_ perfect. I don't have Ruddiger." Varian argued.  
  
"You do. He's around. You just hadn't met him yet at this point. Give it a few weeks." Quirin reached out and cupped his cheek and Varian flinched. "Tell me, _why_ would you _ever_ want to go back to the reality where you spent _months_ being whipped by a King that should've been helping your people? Where you had to threaten an entire Kingdom to make a Princess agree to take you on her trip, to remember you _exist_? Do you think that, if you _weren't_ on that prison barge, you would've _ever_ met her again? You were in High-Security, little bird. She doesn't even know it _exists_ , and her father could easily make up a lie about what happened to you."  
  
"Stop..." Varian shook his head.  
  
"It's _better_ here. No more pain, no more grief. You have a happy, peaceful life here. No black rocks destroying everything, no father being ashamed of you, it's _perfect_. So, why would you _ever_ want to leave it?" He cupped his other cheek, smiling down at him. " _What_ is there in that other world that is _better_ than here?"  
  
Varian's determined expression faltered and he slumped against the door. "...Nothing." He said softly.  
  
"That's right. You have _no_ reason to leave." He pulled him away from the door and against him. "I can be the father you always _dreamed_ of. Just stay in this world with me, and everything will be alright." He curled his fingers into Varian's hair possessively.  
  
Varian clutched at his vest. He had a point. Everything he said made sense. But, some part of him still wanted to _leave_ , even if the child that had been desperate for _any_ form of validation and love from his peers his entire life was _screaming_ to _stay_.  
  
He let out a soft sob and Quirin stroked his hair gently. "Shhh, it's alright. Just leave everything to me, hm? Daddy's gonna take care of you."  
  
Varian nodded, sniffling as he clung tighter to him. "...Okay."  
  
He would give in...for now. He was so _tired_ of fighting, and it felt _so good_ to be held by his father like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Varian might need a bit of persuading if they're going to get out of this.


	24. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel finds herself in the position of having to convince Varian to leave, as well as herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Varian didn't come to the secret dock under the bridge. Rapunzel managed to slip out, but didn't see him anywhere. She decided to head for Old Corona to check on him and took the boat they were intending to take to the monument. She knew she couldn't be gone long, Eugene and her father would not doubt be looking for her soon, but she had to know why he didn't come to the dock.  
  
So here she was, going through the woods, by herself. She hadn't even thought to bring Maximus or Pascal, not trusting either of them in this world. She had never felt so alone before, and she was even _more_ determined to find Varian.   
  
She finally found Old Corona and made her way through town, noticing that most of the lights were out. What if Varian was asleep? What if Quirin was awake? She got to his home and checked windows, then tried the front door. When that didn't work, she opened the outside door into Varian's lab and stepped inside, closing the door behind her before opening his lab's actual door. "...Varian?" She whispered.  
  
"Princess." He looked surprised to see her. He was in his old clothes again, goggles on his head and gloves on his hands, apron tied around his waist. "What are you doing here?" He cast a worried glance to the side, then walked over to her. "You should go. Quickly."  
  
"But--"  
  
"Varian?"  
  
Varian gasped and pulled her to hide under a table, then adjusted a tarp draped over it to cover her. "Dad! Hey!"  
  
Quirin walked over to him. "Still working hard, eh?" He chuckled. "I made some dessert, if you're still hungry after that big dinner."  
  
"Oh, uhm, maybe later? Or if you could bring it in, maybe? I'm working on the blueprints for that _secret project_ , heh." Varian tugged on his glove awkwardly.  
  
Quirin smiled and walked over to hug him, stroking his hair fondly. "Alright." He kissed his forehead. "I'll be back soon." He walked off.  
  
Varian waited until he was gone, then breathed a sigh of relief before kneeling down to look at Rapunzel. "What are you _doing_ here?" He whispered.  
  
"What am--I went to the dock but didn't see you, I got worried!" She whispered back.  
  
"Yeah, uhm...I...let it slip I suspected him and he confirmed that, yes, we are in a dream world and he's _not_ my dad, so I couldn't slip out." Varian admitted. "B-Besides, it's not so bad here."  
  
"'Not so'--Varian, we're trapped in a dream world." Rapunzel glanced away. "Look, I understand. _I_ don't want to leave, either. But, we're losing our memories of the other world, and we don't know what's _happening to us_ there!"  
  
"I know, I know, but...but, I'm _happy_ here! I haven't been hurt and lied to and _beaten until I bleed_ here! I _know_ it's all fake, but it's _better_ than what I've been living! My father _cares_ about me, my inventions all _work_ , people _love me_ and don't _forget I exist for three months!_ " He wiped at his eyes. "No one's leaving me in a cabin overnight because a storm started and I got dared to go inside, no one's looking at me like I'm about to do something _stupid_ , there's no _rumors_ about me being a _Wizard_ or whatever else! for _once_ in my life, I'm...I'm _happy_." He lowered his arm, tears slipping down his cheeks. "And I'm _afraid_ to go back there. What if...what if, after all I've done, my father disowns me? What if I'm thrown away? What if _this_ is the _only_ place I can be accepted and loved like I've always dreamed of?"  
  
Rapunzel slowly crept out from under the table and pulled him into her arms. "Oh, Varian, I understand. My friends are always arguing, my father is accepting of me, I'm not getting lectured on my habits every day. _I'm_ happy here, too, but is our happiness in this other world worth what could be happening to our bodies, our _friends_ , in the waking world? What about your aunt and uncle? What about Ruddiger? What if, by staying here, we end up hurting people? Could you _live_ with that? Because I can't. We _need_ to _go_ , Varian."  
  
They heard footsteps and she gasped, ducking back under the table.  
  
Varian stood up and turned to his father as he came over with a plate of cake. "Here you go." Quirin smiled and set it on the table. "Don't be working down here too long, now. I'll be coming by soon to tell you it's time for bed. Good luck, son." He hugged him and kissed his head before he walked out again.  
  
Rapunzel waited until he was gone, then slowly climbed out from under the table. "Varian, please. If we don't go _now_ , then our next chance is after the banquet and _I_ don't want to face that banquet again, so _please_..."  
  
She paused and sighed. "...I'm sorry. I did it again."  
  
"You did." He nodded. "Rapunzel..." he sighed, "I'm... _scared_. I know that I act confident and...you know, _mean_ , but...I'm actually scared. What if I can't use the Moonstone properly? What if I can't control the black rocks? What if I freeze up when I face Frederic? What if...there's just so much I'm _scared_ of, Rapunzel. And, if I wake up, I have to face all of it. The...the pain, the scars, the distrust...the nightmares." He sniffled and wiped at his wyes. "I can't...I can't face it anymore. Not when I have all this as an option. Not when I can just keep dreaming and be _happy_."  
  
She gently wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, Varian...I promise, I will protect you from my father, even if I have to wrap you up in my indestructible hair while your aunt and uncle beat him up."  
  
Varian chuckled a bit, but it was clear he was still crying. "How can I believe in promises anymore?"  
  
"I know, I've hurt you and I will _forever_ regret it. But, I am _determined_ to keep my promise this time. I'll never forget about you or ignore you again. But, Varian, if we stay asleep, we may _never_ wake up. Do you understand?" She looked at him anxiously.  
  
"And what's wrong with that?"  
  
She gasped and looked up to see Quirin had returned. "You haven't eaten your cake, son."   
  
Varian moved away from Rapunzel and went to pick up his cake, quietly starting to eat. Quirin walked over and rubbed his head affectionately. "Princess Rapunzel, you're awfully far from home, aren't you?"  
  
"Whoever you are, you are _not_ Quirin." She said firmly.  
  
"Yes, he knows." He chuckled, stroking Varian's hair as he silently, obediently, continued to eat his cake. "You seem so sure you can protect him, but you can barely even protect _yourself."  
  
"Yes, I can!_" Rapunzel insisted. "Who _are_ you, anyway?"  
  
"I'd say my name, but you don't remember me." He smirked. "You should be going home, Princess."  
  
They heard a knocking at the door and Rapunzel tensed as Quirin left Varian's side and opened it. "Yes?"  
  
"Excuse me, sorry, but have you seen Princess Rapunzel?" She heard Eugene asking. "She's not in her room, everyone's worried about her."  
  
"Oh, yes. She's here." Quirin opened the door wider and Eugene ran in and hugged her tightly. "She apparently wanted to visit my son."  
  
"Please, don't give me a scare like that again. I was worried you'd been taken into another tower!" Eugene said, looking Rapunzel over. "Are you okay? you're not hurt?"  
  
"No, I...I'm not hurt." She looked at Varian. "Uhm, I'll see you tomorrow?"  
  
He nodded, setting down his empty plate before pulling paper forward to look it over.  
  
Quirin walked over and picked up the plate. "Sleep well, Princess." He smiled.  
  
Rapunzel was led out by Eugene, who had a firm hold on her shoulder and waist, and Quirin held the door open for them until they left. She saw Varian look over at her just before the door shut between them.  
  
'Please.' She thought. 'Please, change your mind...'  
  
\--  
  
"Cassandra?" Hector called, looking around. "Cassandra, where'd you go? Cassandra? Come on, don't _you_ go and disappear, too _..._ "  
  
A door burst open and he yelped, jumping up on top of a wardrobe, then gasped when Cassandra stumbled out. "Cassandra!" He jumped down and ran to catch her before she fell. "Are you alright?"  
  
"No..." She whimpered and clung to him. "No, I'm _not_..."  
  
"What is it?" Hector asked gently.  
  
She looked up at him. " _My mother_ was the one that kidnapped Princess Rapunzel!" She cried, tears slipping down her cheeks. "How can she stand to _look_ at me?! I look so much _like_ her!" She clung to him, sobbing loudly.  
  
He looked uncomfortable, then gently rubbed her back. "It's...it's okay. It's okay. I'm sure she wouldn't turn you away if she knew. The Sundrop isn't like that."  
  
She sniffled and looked at him. "Y-You think so?"  
  
He nodded, then looked around. "...I haven't seen Adira and Eugene around. Saw Lance and Shorty earlier, they were in the kitchen. I think they forgot what we were looking for."  
  
She laughed a bit. "Typical them." She slowly got up and he got up with her. "Let's...let's continue the search."   
  
He nodded. "You're gonna be okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How can she convince Varian to wake up?


	25. Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel and Varian make a choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Rapunzel didn't see Varian again until the banquet. Apparently, they'd been invited to it by her father and Varian was wearing even nicer clothes than usual. Of course, so was she. Eugene was also, of course, dressed in his finest, with his ring in the inner pocket of his tailcoat, ready to propose to her.  
  
She felt anxious. She wanted to run, but he called her up and she had to get up with everyone staring at her. Everyone but Varian, who was looking to the side guiltily. She looked at Eugene as he dropped down on one knee in front of her and pulled out the ring, holding it up and beginning his proposal that promised she would be in the castle forever...and ever...and ever.  
  
She cleared her throat. "Uhm...wow! Uh...I _love_ you Eugene, but...I...I need to...think about it." She glanced around anxiously. "I...uh...I need...I need some air." She backed up, then fled the area.  
  
"Uh, Sunshine?!" Eugene stood up in confusion, but she ignored him.  
  
She ran and ran until she reached the tunnels and then she hid and held her head with frustration. "I can't...I can't _stay here_ , I..."  
  
She gasped when she heard footsteps and looked up to see Varian had joined her. "...How did you think to find me here?"  
  
"Only you and I know it." He shrugged. "At least at _this_ point."  
  
She sighed and looked down. "Varian..."  
  
He sat down next to her. "...Let's do it."  
  
"What?" she looked up with surprise.  
  
"Let's get out of here." He stood up and offered her his hand.  
  
"What changed your mind?" She asked, taking his hand and getting up.  
  
"There's nothing but a wasteland beyond the wall." He said grimly. "It's all _dead_. And I get the feeling, if we stay here, that's what our world, our _real_ world, will look like."  
  
Rapunzel gently squeezed his hand. "Let's get out of here, then. Quickly."  
  
He nodded and they headed through the tunnels. "Shouldn't we go back out?"  
  
"When you had the book before, I memorized the map. We can get out of the city unnoticed by going through the tunnels." Varian explained as they walked. "We just have to, heh, avoid the traps."  
  
"Yeah, I don't have any magical long hair to save us this time." She nodded. "Oh, wow...I'd almost forgotten about it."  
  
"It's one of the few things I retained clearly." Varian admitted.  
  
"That's good." Rapunzel nodded, and they carefully made their way through.  
  
"Not having _Pascal_ here to activate traps certainly helps, _too_." He remarked.  
  
They managed to make their way out of the city and to the secret dock, where they rowed away quickly. "Varian, how are we getting outside the wall?" She asked.  
  
"We'll use rope from my home and climb up from the roof." Varian replied.  
  
They got to the opposite bank and took off running.  
  
"Oh dear."  
  
They stopped short and turned to see Quirin and Eugene behind them. "Leaving so soon?" Eugene asked.  
  
"We're _done_ dreaming." Rapunzel said firmly.  
  
"But it's so perfect _here._ So happy. Why would you want to _leave_?" Quirin asked.  
  
"Because there's nothing beyond the wall, and nothing if we stay." Varian said firmly.  
  
"Is that your final answer?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Yes! We're leaving!" Rapunzel said firmly.  
  
"What a shame." Quirin said, then chuckled as the world around them shifted into a blizzard landscape. "Well, you're welcome to leave, if you can find your way in _this_." He said as they both changed into different people with a burst of green fire.  
  
"But, don't think we'll make this _easy_ for you." The man that was once Eugene said with a grin. "You said 'no' to the dream, now let's see if you can escape the _nightmare_!"  
  
Varian gasped as masked men started to come out of the snowy treeline, swords drawn.  
  
"We have to run." He said weakly.  
  
"You can still change your mind." The man that was once Quirin said with a chuckle.  
  
"Never!" Rapunzel said firmly, then grabbed Varian's hand and ran through the snow.  
  
"Then," "Quirin" said with a cold smile, "let the games begin."  
  
\--  
  
"Cold, cold, cold, cold, cold!" Rapunzel whimpered as they ran.  
  
Varian looked at her worriedly, then lifted her into his arms, earning a yelp. "Just hang on!" He said as he ran through the snow, his eyes shifting to watch for the masked men as they darted through the woods as fast as he could manage in the snow. "This would be easier if I had my goggles..."  
  
"Varian, how did they just change the season like that?" She asked, her arms wrapped around his shoulders tightly.  
  
"I don't know, they're magical!" He said, then gasped and ducked behind a tree, holding her closer. They heard masked men run by and held their breaths until they'd run by. "They have us trapped in a strange dream." He said, once it was safe to speak again, and carried her onwards. "We know that."  
  
"Well...whoa!" She gasped sharply as she saw someone else standing in the snow. "Uh, who are you?"  
  
They silently pointed to side. "Are you friend or foe?!" Varian asked.  
  
The stranger looked around, then went towards them. "Go to the tower." He said firmly. "I'll meet you there. I can only do so much right now, but _I am on your side_."  
  
"The tower?" Rapunzel breathed. "Gothel's tower?"  
  
"How can we trust you?" Varian asked.  
  
He held out a hand and a masked man vanished. "Go."  
  
They nodded and Varian ran off to where he pointed.   
  
Rapunzel looked up in surprise to see the tower still standing. Of course it would be. She got down and pulled Varian inside and through the trap door.  
  
"Well, at least it's warmer." Rapunzel said, rubbing at her arms.  
  
Varian looked around. "Gothel lived here?"  
  
"Yeah." Rapunzel nodded, then gasped. "I can get her things!" She ran into another room.  
  
Varian looked towards the window, then jumped a foot in the air when he heard the trapdoor open. To his relief, it was the guy that helped them. "Who are you?"  
  
"Doesn't matter. All you need to know is that I'm a friend." The stranger said.  
  
"What can I call you?" Varian asked.  
  
The man looked to the side. "It's better you don't call me anything, trust me. I'm taking a big risk by doing this, if they _found out_..."  
  
Varian pursed his lips and nodded, then turned to see Rapunzel coming out wearing boots and a cloak. She offered Varian a cloak and he put it on. "Can you help us get to the monument?" She asked.  
  
The man nodded. "Remember, _everything_ here is an illusion. That wasteland is a lie."  
  
Varian held the cloak tighter around him. "Any other advice?"  
  
"Don't get caught. They're using your cosmic powers to revive Zhan Tiri." The man told them. "So, they're not going to let you go so easily. The guy posing as Eugene is Tromus, also known as Matthews. The guy posing as your father is Lucas."  
  
Varian held his head. "Hn..."  
  
"Yeah, he's one of the things you forgot, I know. We should get going, now. I've made the masked men disappear, but they'll be back soon. And I can't do this for long, so--"  
  
"So, we gotta hurry." Rapunzel nodded. "Got it."  
  
"Let's go." He headed back down and followed him. "Normally, since its your dream and your mind, you would be able to manipulate it, but Lucas is boosting Tromus' powers, so it's not going to be so easy."  
  
"Are you one of them?" Rapunzel asked as they trudged through the snow. "A Disciple?"  
  
"I was. I betrayed them and was punished for it and banished." The man replied. "Which is _why_ you can't know my name."  
  
"Got it." Varian nodded.  
  
The man smiled softly, then looked forward, his body tense. "Go. Go, now!" He yelled, and they ran forward just in time to avoid a burning tree falling to block their path. The man caught up to them a bit later and they ran through the snow.  
  
"I can't tell where we are, or what's up or down or--" Rapunzel looked around frantically.  
  
"Princess! You have to calm down or your pounding heart is going to blind your senses worse than the snow!" The man said firmly.  
  
"He's right, we have to stay calm." Varian told her. "Or, calm-ish. Either way, we can't panic."  
  
"Well, well."  
  
They all gasped and turned to see Lucas standing behind them. "Looks like you found some... _help."  
  
_ The man fired off green fire at him and Lucas summoned vines to block it before throwing his own fire. He dodged and then grabbed Varian's and Rapunzel's hands. "I'm going to try to take you closer. Don't panic!" He yelled, and then they were all engulfed in green fire.  
  
\--  
  
They reappeared near Old Corona, and then the man groaned. "I can't do much else, I'm afraid. Get out there and get to the monument!"  
  
They nodded and ran for Varian's manor. Varian looked back at the man but didn't see him and didn't know why he felt such pain at not seeing him. He shook it off and they kept going.  
  
They found rope and made their way to the roof. "Careful." He said as he helped her up. Then he tied rope to the chimney and then hung the rope over the wall into the wasteland. "Come on."  
  
They lowered down the rope, looking around anxiously for any sign of their captors. "Do you think that guy's okay?" Rapunzel asked as they got down.  
  
"I don't know." Varian sighed. "I hope so. Let's keep going!"  
  
They heard something thumping and looked over to see a giant Pascal coming towards them. "Uh..."  
  
"Run!" She grabbed his hand and they ran through the wasteland, Pascal stomping after them and roaring.  
  
"Well, _that_ was a sight I never thought I'd see!" Varian admitted.  
  
"Duck!" She pulled him into a cave and they curled up together until he'd passed by, roaring. "Okay...that was...scary."  
  
"Yeah." He nodded. "So, they know we're _out_ _here_."  
  
She looked out. "We've still got a few miles to go. How are you doing?"  
  
"As well as I _can_ be, considering I just threw away a perfect world where my dad actually cares for me and people don't hate me." He said dryly. He sighed. "But...I'll get over it."  
  
She hugged him tightly. "It's going to be okay, Varian. I will _never_ let him hurt you again. And if your dad doesn't love you, well...you've got us, and your aunt and uncle. I'm sure Hector will e happy to take you and Ruddiger in if you dad throws you out. You have options." He smiled brightly.  
  
He chuckled a bit. "Yeah. Options."  
  
She looked out again. "It's clear. Let's go."  
  
She held his hand tightly as they ran from the cave, heading for the monument

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a race to the monument!


	26. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The race goes on!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"Ruddiger!" Hector ran over and knelt to pick him up from where he leaned against a door. "Ruddiger, are you alright?"  
  
He let out a tired croon and nuzzled him before curling up around his shoulders. Cassandra looked at the door he was next to and gasped. "Hector...that's Zhan Tiri's head."  
  
"They're in here, then." Hector summoned his blade and cut the door down, the wood falling to the ground sliced in half, as Cassandra drew her own sword. "Unhand my nephew!"  
  
They saw two robed men standing next to altars with Rapunzel and Varian on top of the stone, vines almost completely wrapped around them. Hector growled as he recognized the one next to him as Lucas.  
  
"More noisy ones." The other man clicked his tongue. "Lucas, would you take care of them?"  
  
"Gladly." Lucas held out his hands and made the vines move towards them.  
  
They dodged around them, Hector using his superior speed and pulling Cassandra along with him. He jumped from the wall and swung his sword, but was caught in midair by vines. "NO!" He yelled as they were both bound by vines and pulled apart from each other.  
  
"Stay there, would you?" He flicked his wrist and they were slammed into the wall next to the others and vines moved over their mouths as they struggled. "We're so close...how did _he_ get there?"  
  
"I don't know, but he's left now. Let's not waste time, we can't let them get to the monument." The other man said as they turned back to the sleeping duo.  
  
\--  
  
"Run, run, run!" Rapunzel yelped as they fled a pack of wolves.  
  
"Giant lizards! Wolves! What's _next?!_ " Varian cried.  
  
"Oh, don't _say_ that, they'll answer your question!" She cried, looking around anxiously.  
  
"How...How much farther?" He asked.  
  
"Well, I was riding a horse, before!" Rapunzel replied. "I don't know!"  
  
"So, we just keep going, then?" He looked over his shoulder. "The wolves are gone."  
  
"Well, look out for something else." She cringed.  
  
"Getting tired yet?"  
  
They looked forward and tensed, seeing Lucas and Tromus in front of them. "You can't run _forever_ , you know." Lucas chuckled.  
  
"No, but we only need to keep running until we get to the monument!" Rapunzel said firmly.  
  
"We're _not_ afraid of you!" Varian insisted.  
  
"Oh? Aren't you?"  
  
Rapunzel gasped, paling as she looked over her shoulder and saw Gothel. "M-Mother?" She breathed.  
  
"Look how much you're trembling!" She walked up to them.  
  
"You're not real." Varian insisted.  
  
"Perhaps not, but you're still frightened." She said, then turned to look at King Frederic as he walked up beside her. "Now, _why_ would you choose to give up your perfect, happy life with this man? You don't seem to care much for the _real_ one." She laughed.  
  
"It's not real. It's an illusion." Rapunzel whispered, then turned back to Tromus and Lucas. "Let us through! We're _done_ dreaming!"  
  
Varian's brow furrowed. "You could just take us now...so, why are you hesitating?"  
  
"Why do you _think_?" Lucas asked with a smile.  
  
Varian's eyes widened. "You need us to actually _say_ that we're giving up. Whatever you're doing, it needs our complete, voluntary surrender!"  
  
"Correct." Tromus nodded. "And don't expect to be _rescued_. Aside from zhat _traitor_ , no one else can enter your mind, and no one else can wake you up."  
  
"Just stay here." King Frederic enticed. "Stay where you're happy. Where you'll never be hurt."  
  
Varian held Rapunzel's hand tighter. "No. We're _leaving."  
  
_ "So stubborn." Lucas chuckled. "Then again, I've always _adored_ that about you." He nodded and Varian gasped as he heard footsteps behind them as King Frederic moved closer.  
  
"We need to go." Rapunzel said, then pulled Varian to the side, just before Frederic grabbed them. They ran and ran, not daring to look back, as she hurried through, Varian hurried to keep up with her. "Don't look back! Whatever you do, don't look back!" She told him. "It's not real!"  
  
"I-I know!" He cried, forcing himself not to look back, even though he wanted to check how close the King was to him again.  
  
\--  
  
They found the bridge and she looked at him. "Okay, single-file, GO!" She let go of him and pushed him onto it, then ran across behind him. She could hear the bridge breaking behind her and shivered, not looking back as they ran on and on to the other side.  
  
They barely made it across and then Rapunzel led Varian to the monument.  
  
"You don't have to go."  
  
They stopped and looked over at Lucas, who had appeared on the cliff with them. "It's not too late. You can still have your paradise."  
  
"I make my _own_ paradise." Varian said firmly, taking off his glove and kneeling to touch the ground. " _Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains and set the spirit free! The spirit free!_ "  
  
Lucas lifted into the air, his body turning into that green form again. "Well, you've made your refusal clear." He chuckled. "No matter. We'll find a way to revive her, regardless. We've certainly absorbed enough of your power. So go, go, and run along. Take the Moonstone and become strong. But beware the eclipse."  
  
"Beware the _what_?" Varian asked, but Lucas had already vanished.  
  
Rapunzel and Varian looked at each other and shrugged before they went to the monument.  
  
"Just because _Lucas_ is willing to let you leave, it doesn't mean _I_ will!" Tromus said, appearing above the monument. "I can still keep you here!"  
  
"Is Lucas isn't helping him...maybe we can manipulate this world now!" Rapunzel realized.  
  
Varian held out his ungloved hand and his hair glowed as a black rock came out of the ground next to Rapunzel. "We're. L _eaving_." He said firmly, taking Rapunzel's hand as she grabbed the black rock.  
  
"No, no, noooo!" Tromus protested, flying at them.  
  
A burst of Moon energy came out the rock as Rapunzel's hair grew out and then everything went black.  
  
\--  
  
"Nn..." Rapunzel groaned, then slowly opened her eyes. "H-Huh? Where...?" She gasped and looked to her side to see Varian sitting up, pushing dead vines off of him.  
  
He looked up and gasped. "Oh my gosh!" He got off the altar and ran to tug on the vines, which fell apart and dropped everyone to the ground. "Are you okay?!" He asked, being pulled into a group hug by the four of them.  
  
"We're fine, are _you_?!" Eugene asked.  
  
"Yeah." Varian nodded.  
  
Rapunzel gasped as the room started to shake. "W-What's going on?!" She cried, then gasped as Pascal's cage fell, breaking open. "Pascal!" She picked him up and checked him over before holding him close.  
  
"We need to get out of here!" Eugene said.  
  
Varian spotted his backpack and grabbed it before they all got up and ran out, spotting Lance carrying Shorty as they got to the exit.  
  
The sky was blue and clear as they ran outside, and they stopped next to the caravan before turning back to look at the house starting to dematerialize.  
  
"Zhis. Isn't. Over!" Tromus yelled, appearing in front of them. "I will get my--" He was cut off by Lucas grabbing him and yanking him away from the house, the two of them vanishing in bursts of green fire as the house fell apart and drifted away in pieces on the wind.  
  
All that was left were the dogs, which were running around where the house stood, and the horses were next to the caravan.  
  
"...Okay...that was...bizarre." Eugene said.  
  
Adira walked over to find Callan had yanked the caravan out of the mud. "Looks like your beasts are alright." She said, turning to Hector.  
  
Varian looked up as Cleo and Owl flew down to their owners and nuzzled them. "Hey, Cleo."  
  
Ruddiger climbed onto his shoulder and nuzzled him and he laughed. "Don't get jealous, now!"  
  
"So...what now?" Lance asked.  
  
"We move on." Rapunzel said, turning to the road. "Towards the Dark Kingdom."  
  
"So, I don't get it. The Lucas guy just... _walked away_ shortly before you guys woke up. _What's_ going on there?" Eugene asked. "What's his _deal_?"  
  
Varian sighed heavily. "I don't know. But, I will be happy to _not_ see him again for a _long_ time."  
  
"Agreed." Hector said, walking back to the caravan.  
  
Rapunzel reached up and placed a hand on Varian's shoulder. "...Are you okay?"  
  
Varian sighed and looked down. "...I don't know. But, I think I _will_ be. In time."  
  
Cassandra walked over to Rapunzel. "Raps, I..." She glanced away. "I...I found out who my _real mother_ was."  
  
"That's great!" Rapunzel said cheerfully.  
  
"Yeah...uhm..." Cassandra took a deep breath. "...It's Gothel."  
  
Rapunzel's eyes widened. "...Oh. Oh, Cass, I'm so _sorry_."  
  
"What are you _sorry_ for? I saw it myself, she abandoned me to avoid being caught by the Royal Guard after taking you." Cassandra glanced away. " _I_ should be apologizing to _you_."  
  
"Cass, you _don't_ need to apologize for something your mother did." Rapunzel hugged her tightly. "What about your dad?"  
  
"No idea." Cassandra sighed. "This _weird_ little girl tried to talk me into getting _revenge_ for you taking my mother, and take the Moonstone for myself but...seriously? Come on. Revenge for you being kidnapped? And the Moonstone is Varian's, _how_ is that even related?"  
  
"Yeah, that sounds like something someone _mentally unstable_ would do." Eugene chuckled.  
  
"Who knows, maybe we'll learn about your real dad, too!" Rapunzel hugged her tighter. "You know, Cass? This _kind_ of makes us _sisters_!"  
  
"Heh, in a way, yeah." Cassandra nodded.  
  
"This is _great_!" Rapunzel smiled brightly.  
  
"You're...taking this better than I _thought_ you would." Cassandra said, blinking in surprise.  
  
"Well, let's get going!" Rapunzel headed for the caravan. "Next stop?"  
  
"Somewhere we can repair the caravan." Varian said, looking it over. "Because this thing is a _wreck_ after that storm."  
  
"Right!" Rapunzel nodded. "Somewhere we can repair the caravan!"  
  
They all got in and Cassandra and Rapunzel got on in front after they hitched up the horses and they were on their way.  
  
"Hey, who moved the tree?" Varian asked.  
  
"Wasn't it Callan?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
As they went down the road, icy-blue eyes watched them as the owner smiled slyly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After THAT adventure, maybe we can take a rest?


	27. Fortune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vigor is back, but something's...different about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Varian hummed to himself thoughtfully as he looked over the scroll pieces. They'd stopped to make camp and, after making sure the area was sufficiently Disciple-free, finally felt relaxed enough for him to puzzle over the scroll, which his father had hidden a piece of for Varian's entire life.  
  
Among other important things, but let's not get into that.  
  
"Is this the Dark Kingdom castle?" He asked, looking at Hector sitting nearby him.  
  
"Hm?" Hector leaned over slightly to look at it. "Yep, that's it. Gloomy place, innit? It's even _worse_ in person, not to mention _inside_. Yeesh."  
  
"It wasn't _that_ bad." Adira said from where she was sparring with Cassandra.  
  
"Agh!" Cassandra fell on her back and groaned. "Okay, someone _else_ take a turn being beaten by Adira! I'm _done_!"  
  
Hector got up and they started to enthusiastically spar while Cassandra limped over and took Hector's spot. "You reading that scroll?"  
  
"Well, _trying_ to. It's been a while since I last managed to sort of translate what this part right here said, and that was just enough to figure out that it was about the Sundrop being able to defeat the rocks." He sighed heavily. "I need my notes, but they might all be _destroyed_ by now...I bet they raided my lab."  
  
She sighed. "Well, I don't _think_ they did, because that would be disrespectful to your dad, right?"  
  
"They didn't care about my dad." Varian sighed. "Well, with any luck, they won't be able to get in my safe to get to my notes."  
  
She shrugged. "Fingers crossed and all that." She knocked on the stool he had in front of him. "Knock on wood."  
  
"Just one more day of travel and we will be in the Dark Kingdom!" Rapunzel walked up to him with a big smile. "You excited?"  
  
"Honestly?" He sighed. "I'm kind of _scared_ of the Mad King."  
  
"The _what_?" Adira asked as Hector and Adira looked at him.  
  
"Anyone that's managed to get around the Great Tree has ended up being attacked by 'the Mad King'." Varian explained. "He lives in the castle, so I'm told."  
  
"The king _lives_?" Hector looked at her.  
  
"Apparently." Adira frowned. "Quirin was the last of us to leave, wasn't he?"  
  
"I wonder if they kept in contact." Hector mused.  
  
"Well, all _I_ gotta say is, I hope we packed our torches!" Rapunzel said with a grin. "You know, 'cause it's gonna be dark!"  
  
Everyone else groaned in response to her joke.  
  
"Sunshine, I love you, but can you _not_?" Eugene asked, looking up from his card game with Lance.  
  
"Oh, come on, you liked it." Rapunzel walked over and draped her arms over his shoulders, kissing his cheek.  
  
"Maybe a little." He sighed, then looked over at Varian. "Any luck with that thing?"  
  
"I'd have _better_ luck, if there wasn't a piece _missing_. Plus, I'm still recovering my memories from that crazy dream-world." Varian admitted.  
  
"Yeah, Clementine said our memories should come back on their own, that since it's Disciple magic and not normal magic, their usual cure for memory loss isn't going to work." Rapunzel nodded.  
  
Varian nodded. "I'm sure it'll come back to me in no time, though. Heh."  
  
Ruddiger scampered over and climbed up onto his shoulders, nuzzling him. "Hey, Ruddiger. Did you find an apple?"  
  
Ruddiger crooned happily, taking a bite of the apple he was carrying.  
  
"Soooo, I was thinking that we could take some time to ourselves," Rapunzel poked Eugene's cheek, "maybe do something birthday-related?"  
  
"Birthday? Is it your birthday?" Eugene looked at her.  
  
"Can't be, mine hasn't passed yet." Varian said distractedly.  
  
"Uh, wait, so if it's not _your_ birthday..." Eugene's brow furrowed. "Whose is it?"  
  
Rapunzel grinned and got up, pulling him up with her. "Come on!"  
  
"Wait, where are we going?" He asked.  
  
Varian watched them go, raising an eyebrow, then sighed and gathered up the scroll pieces to take them back to Rapunzel.  
  
\--  
  
"You _know_ I don't _have_ a birthday, right?" Eugene asked as Varian walked out to join them. He was holding some kind of treat in his hands.  
  
"I _know_ we don't know when you were born, but _everybody_ has a birthday!" Rapunzel replied. "So, I figured, why not _today_?" She gasped. "Oh! Make a wish! Uh, just...don't eat the cupcake."  
  
"Princess, if you wanted to surprise him with baked goods, you could've asked me to help." Varian said with amusement.  
  
"Eh, I don't really _believe_ in the whole wish-making thing. or really _anything_..." he chuckled, "that I can't see with my own eyes."  
  
"You've said 'good god', like, a _bunch_ of times." Varian pointed out.  
  
"As an exclamation; I don't actually believe in a God. I mean, I believe in the Sun and the Moon, obviously, they're right there where I can see and I _know_ they have magic, but God?" He chuckled. "By the way, frog, I see you eating my birthday thing."  
  
Pascal froze, his tongue wrapped around a berry, then shamelessly ate it and moved closer to the treat to eat more. Eugene let him with a fond smile.  
  
"By the way, Varian, what are you doing over here?" Eugene looked up at him. "I mean, you don't have any of your bodyguards."  
  
Varian looked over at where Hector watching him from a bush. "They're around. I'm okay, I'm with Eugene and Rapunzel!" He called to him, then looked at Rapunzel. "I wanted to give these back to you." He held out the scroll pieces.   
  
"Oh, okay!' She took them and put them in her bag. "Done with them for now?"  
  
He nodded. "As much as I _can_ be, considering we don't even have all the pieces." He turned to go. "I'll leave you two to be alone now."  
  
"Well, hey," Eugene held up a hand, "you don't _have_ to go. I mean, ordinarily I'd probably just wave you off, but you look like you need a distraction from, you know, craziness. Why not spend the day with us?"  
  
Varian looked back at him. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Seriously, let's just not think about what might happen tomorrow in the spooky dark kingdom. We've had enough 'spooky', don't you think?" He chuckled.  
  
"Apparently, his birthday wish is to drag you along on some adventure." Rapunzel said teasingly.  
  
Varian shrugged. "Well, then, your wish is my command." He grinned.  
  
Rapunzel smiled and kissed Eugene sweetly. "Let's have some fun then."  
  
They heard a sound and looked over at the source, Varian letting out a heavy sigh when they saw who it was. "Oh. _Them_."  
  
Rapunzel and Eugene turned to watch as Vigor the Visionary's caravan passed by them. "Out of the way!" She yelled as she passed them.  
  
"Oh, come _on_!" Eugene groaned. "Canardist and Vigor? Are they following us?! They've _gotta_ be following us! I have half a mind to--" He started to walk after them.  
  
"I'm _sure_ they're not _following_ us." Rapunzel said, smiling and taking his hand to pull him back.  
  
"Well, I'm gonna ask!" Eugene said, and they all headed into the stopped caravan.  
  
\--  
  
"We _have_ been following you." Canardist revealed.  
  
"Uh... _why_?" Varian asked.  
  
"Vigor wants to give you an important fortune." She revealed. "He seems to have grown _attached_ to you." She gestured to them, then chuckled. "There is no accounting for _taste_."  
  
"Well, _I_ like _him_ , too." Rapunzel said as Eugene and Varian both rolled their eyes. "That _curse_ you tried to put on me? Psh." She reached out to pat Vigor's hand. "Water under the bridge."  
  
He swatted at her hand and Canardist looked up from whatever she was doing. "Don't touch his banana!"  
  
"I don't think she _meant_ to." Varian smirked.  
  
She stood up holding some odd trinket and Eugene laughed a bit. "Oh-ho-ho, let me guess. The price of this 'important fortune'," he did "spooky air-quotes", "is five silver pieces."   
  
"The prediction is _free_ , of course." She assured him. "Now, quiet down and let Vigor summon the spirits from beyond." She gestured to the orb in front of them, then walked away, kneeling to pick up banana peels. "Ugh, banana peels everywhere."  
  
"Hey, _you're_ the one that's using a monkey to swindle people." Varian said, watching her go.  
  
"Shh." Rapunzel directed his attention back to Vigor.  
  
A wind started to blow, and then a flash of lightning into the caravan with booming thunder.  
  
"Yawn." Eugene said flatly, though Rapunzel looked excited about the whole thing.  
  
Pascal tried to hide under the orb, but then the orb lifted into the air and Vigor started holding his head and screeching before he started to dance around the orb, screeching as he did.  
  
Varian slowly stood up and waved his hands over the orb. "Huh. No wires." He murmured, sitting back down.  
  
"Heavier yawn." Eugene said just as flatly, but Rapunzel seemed to ignore him.  
  
Carnadist went to Vigor's side and whispered something when he paused in his dancing. He seemed to snap out of his trance and the orb dropped back down. Varian quickly grabbed Pascal before he could be squished by it. The wind stopped and then Vigor reached into his turban and handed it to Canardist. "The things you keep under your turban!" She said joyfully. "Wonders never cease!" She opened it. "'For you, the path awaits, where the final quarter lies, after many dire straits'."  
  
"'Final quarter'?" Rapunzel said thoughtfully, then gasped. "He's gotta be talking about the fourth piece of the scroll!"  
  
"Well, _that's_ a lot of guesswork and wishful thinking." Varian remarked.  
  
" _That's_ what you got from that?!" Eugene asked in disbelief. " _I_ got absolute gibberish!" He gestured to Vigor. "If he meant the fourth piece of the scroll, why not just say 'fourth piece of the scroll'?!"  
  
"Because asking a fortune-teller to be straightforward is like asking Maximus to talk. You're not going to get very far." Varian smirked.  
  
"Besides, that would throw off the rhyme." Rapunzel reasoned. "Eugene, we need the fourth piece to make sense of the others!" She got up and placed her hands on his shoulders. "And besiiiides, doesn't this sound like it's going to be a birthday to remember?"  
  
Eugene sighed heavily. " _Fine. Where_ is this path deal?"  
  
"Vigor will guide you..." Canardist started.  
  
"If you try to _charge_ us for this, we're leaving and finding it on our own." Varian said flatly.  
  
Ruddiger growled from his shoulder.  
  
"I'm running a _business_ here, boy." She frowned.  
  
"It's okay, Varian." Rapunzel smiled and handed over the money. "We need our guide."  
  
"As long as he doesn't keep charging us every hour again." Eugene muttered.  
  
\--  
  
Vigor screeched as he ran ahead of the group. Varian was at the head of it, being the smallest and most nimble, and also having the most experience with this kind of rough terrain, and Rapunzel followed him with Eugene taking up the rear.  
  
"What's the matter, Eugene?" Varian grinned as they stopped for a bit. "Is the great 'Flynn Rider' getting too _old_ for running around on adventures?"  
  
"You _know_ you're asking for a _noogie_ , right?" Eugene said as he caught up to them.  
  
Varian laughed and ran on ahead after Vigor. "Hey, Vigor, wait up!"  
  
Rapunzel sighed happily. "It's so _good_ to see him actually smiling. Like, _genuinely_ , you know?"  
  
"Yeah, we've come a _long_ way from him gooing me onto a mast and threatening my life after giving me an apple coated with truth serum." Eugene nodded, then frowned a bit. "But, Sunshine, what are we going to do about your dad and the Royal Guard?"  
  
"Let's not worry about that." She smiled and took his hand. "It's _your_ day, remember?"  
  
"Alright." He kissed her cheek. "But, we can't put it off forever."  
  
"I know." She sighed.  
  
"Guys!" Varian called. "Princess, Eugene! Vigor found something!"  
  
They looked over and ran to join them. Varian was standing next to Vigor, who was sitting on some kind of stone object. "What did you find?" Rapunzel asked eagerly.  
  
Eugene knelt down and brushed aside moss covering the stone. "'The Path of Demanitus'." He read from the carving on the stone.  
  
"Wait, that's _real_?" Varian asked.  
  
"What is?" Eugene looked up at him.  
  
"Uh, well..." Varian glanced away. "When I was growing up, Xavier the Blacksmith was, uh, my private tutor. I...got kicked out of public school for being...'too much trouble' pretty early on. Anyways, he told me a _lot_ of legends, and _one_ of them was about The Path of Demanitus, a mythical maze where the great inventor Lord Demanitus kept one of his most important secrets. It's said to be riddled with traps and 'grave danger', and only the _worthy_ can get through it."  
  
"Oh, great. So much for avoiding the 'spooky'." Eugene stood up. "What are the chances of us running into your pal _Lucas_ again?"  
  
"Not very high, he seems to be keeping to places related to _Zhan Tiri_ , not Demanitus." Varian assured him.   
  
"Well..." Eugene looked ahead at the vine-covered entrance, "ready to go through a maze, then?"  
  
Vigor screeched and jumped down, running on ahead.  
  
"Vigor, wait for us!" Varian ran in after him and the other two followed.  
  
"Vigor? Monkey?" Eugene called. "'Want a banana'?" He mimicked Canardist. "Vigor?"  
  
They came out to where Varian was standing, looking over a maze that had spikes on the tops of the wall. "Woooooow." Varian breathed. "It really _is_ real. Oh, wait until I tell _Xavier_. I mean, assuming he wants anything to _do_ with me anymore, heh."  
  
Rapunzel smiled. "I'm sure he understands why you did it. Xavier is a good man." She looked ahead of them. "You know, I've _always_ wanted to go through a giant maze."  
  
"I'm happy for you both, I am, but _look at_ _that_!" Eugene gestured at the maze. "How are we going to get through it?!"  
  
"By keeping our hand on the wall." Varian shrugged. "That way, we don't miss any turns."  
  
"I'm just saying, it would've been _nice_ if Demanitus left us, I dunno, a _map_ or something!" Eugene said in exasperation.  
  
"You require no map." A man said, and they turned to see it was coming from Vigor, who was hanging from a vine with a very coherent look on his face. A kind of _annoyed_ look, actually. He hopped off the vine and then slowly stood tall like a human instead of a monkey, with his feet flat on the ground. "For _I_...am Lord Demanitus." He continued, placing his hand on his chest and then looking at them sternly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a maze to go through and a talking monkey to...talk to!
> 
> ((A/N: I did consider letting Rapunzel and Eugene have their birthday date, but...come on. It's Demanitus. It's unfair that Varian never got to meet him in canon!
> 
> Also, might be less updates today than usual, I'm kind of feeling like crap right now and am waiting on my also-sick kid to take a nap so I can. He's been acting like he's going to for the past hour.))


	28. Inventor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demanitus explains his current form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Rapunzel, Varian and Eugene stared at the monkey - man? - in disbelief and Pascal and Ruddiger let out low growls, clearly not trusting this....monkey. He glanced at them and then looked exasperated. Finally, Eugene started to laugh, the only sound any of the humans had made since the revelation.   
  
"Yeah, nice try, Canardist!" Eugene called. "He's not Demanitus!"  
  
"I mean, he _could_ be." Varian shrugged. "Didn't you guys once turn into birds?"  
  
Ruddiger hopped down from Varian's shoulders and stared up at the monkey before getting up on his two legs, growling and chittering at him.  
  
"Oh, haha, and now the raccoon is challenging the monkey! This is _rich_!" Eugene laughed.  
  
"Uh...Ruddiger?" Varian raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I can't understand you when you talk like that." "Demanitus" said with an unamused expression. "Slow down and enunciate."  
  
Ruddiger just growled and dropped down on all fours before he climbed back up onto Varian's shoulders. "Uhm...what was _that_?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Do not be concerned, it was simply a discussion between old colleagues." Demanitus waved it off. "Now, we have to be going."  
  
"Uh, no, there's _no way_ you're Demanitus, that guy lived _a_ _thousand years ago_!" Eugene argued in disbelief, then moved over to him. "Okay, let's see here." He waved his hands over him. "No strings." He took a whiff. "Although, you certainly _smell_ like a thousand-year-old monkey!" He laughed. "Okay, what's the trick here, huh? Come on, costume? Very convincing, lifelike costume?"  
  
"And how did you meet _Ruddiger_?" Varian asked.  
  
"Is _that_ what you're calling yourself now?" The monkey muttered, then spoke louder. "This is no subterfuge, I assure you. I am Lord Demanitus, protector of Ancient Corona, devotee of science and invention, who has emerged from this monkey in your time of need." He explained, then glanced to the side with a smile. "Banana!" He ran to grab a banana from a low-hanging tree.  
  
"Okaaaay, but how did you meet Ruddiger?" Varian asked.  
  
"The raccoon you call 'Ruddiger' has not _always_ been a raccoon. I suspect this form is because of his involvement with the demon, Zhan Tiri, after he was tricked to their side. He was once my student, Regulus." Demanitus explained, then ate two bananas at once.  
  
Varian blinked, then looked at Rapunzel. "Wait, do you think...?"  
  
"That guy that _helped_ us?" Rapunzel looked at Ruddiger, who just looked _bored_ of the conversation.  
  
" _What_ is going _on_ here?" Eugene demanded, facing Demanitus. Or, well, the monkey that claimed to be him.  
  
"Listen, and listen well." Demanitus told them. "Millenia ago, a mysterious event in the heavens divided an ancient power in two. The Sundrop and Moonstone fell to the earth! My pupils and I researched the legend of the Sundrop and Moonstone, two elements that _longed_ to reunite."  
  
Varian and Rapunzel looked at each other.  
  
"We searched but, alas, could not find them. "Unfortunately, we were not the _only_ ones looking." He looked at Varian - or rather, the raccoon on his shoulders. "My pupils betrayed me and joined my nemesis, Zhan Tiri! A demon from another realm bent on destruction."  
  
Ruddiger curled up tighter around Varian and he stroked his fur comfortingly as the monkey went on. "I managed to banish the demon and its followers from our world with one of my inventions. I knew the research I had written about the Sundrop and the Moonstone was valuable, and dangerous in evil hands. So, I tore the scroll and hid the pieces and placed the _final_ piece within the maze, which I created to keep away the _unworthy_."  
  
Varian gasped excitedly. "It's just like the legends! This is amazing! You're really Demanitus, this is--this is--ahh!" He held his head, like his brain was going to explode if he didn't hold it together. "I'm _actually_ talking to the _real Demanitus!"  
  
_Ruddiger rolled his eyes.  
  
"Oh, you have a little something right there, I think it's banana?" Rapunzel pointed to just above her lips to show him what she meant.  
  
Demanitus wiped it off with a "Hm."  
  
"And you're a monkey because...?" Eugene prompted.  
  
"In the event of Zhan Tiri's return, I had to take a form that could not be recognized." Demanitus said grimly.  
  
Rapunzel tensed. "Zhan Tiri's return...that's what Lucas and Tromus were trying to use _us_ for." She looked at Varian anxiously.  
  
Demanitus nodded. "Using my scientific acumen, coupled with an ancient spell, I was able to create a hiding place, a living, simian creature."  
  
"That's got some questionable ethics attached to it, but it's kind of brilliant!" Varian said cheerfully.  
  
"Coming from the kid that mutated his, apparently transformed-human, raccoon." Eugene looked at him.  
  
Varian shrugged. "Meh."  
  
"I would lay dormant in this simian until such time as I could emerge again." Demanitus went on.  
  
"Ironclad logic." Eugene said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Why didn't you come out before?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"I'm no sorcerer, but from what I understand of the spell, it would allow me to emerge from this form but once...and only for a few short hours." Demanitus revealed. "After which, my spirit shall retreat into this monkey...forever."  
  
He then briefly acted like Vigor again before regaining himself.   
  
"There's no way to keep you from going dormant again? I'm friends with the Saporians, maybe they can help you!" Varian insisted.  
  
"Hm, perhaps. But, for now, we must make haste into the maze." Demanitus said, walking towards it.  
  
"Yeah, uh, nuh-uh." Eugene shook his head. "How do we know for _sure_ that this isn't another one of Zhan Tiri's cronies? The other two got away!"  
  
"Well, I mean, Ruddiger seems to have a _different_ level of distrust around him." Varian shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, and it was _this guy_ that told us your raccoon was a transformed human! How do we know he just doesn't like his smell or is just holding a grudge for the almost-curse?" Eugene shook his head.  
  
"Alright, Eugene. I hear you. Cautious optimism." Rapunzel assured him.  
  
Varian walked down the steps after Demanitus and they followed behind him. "I mean, if he _can_ be trusted, then what's Ruddiger's beef with him? _Why_ is he so hostile?" Eugene asked as they walked. "Not that I trust a raccoon's _temper_ over my own _instincts_ , of course."  
  
"If you guys don't hurry up, we're going on without you!" Varian called back to them.  
  
"That kid has 'trusts-too-easily' issues." Eugene said, and Rapunzel had to agree with _that_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Into the maze!


	29. Maze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demanitus leads Rapunzel, Eugene and Varian through the maze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Even with Demanitus' guidance, they were still getting lost and running into dead-ends. Eugene supposed that Varian excitedly asking him questions about himself wasn't helping matters, and it reminded him of when Varian got excited over meeting _him_. He couldn't help but feel a bit jealous that Varian didn't have that shine in his eyes about _him_ anymore, but that was his _own_ fault for not only crushing his image of him but also treating him _horribly_.  
  
"Dead end!" Rapunzel giggled as they headed back to the straightway. "This is _so_ much fun!" Shelooked back at her journal. "Okay, okay, okay. So, that was a...right turn?"  
  
"Yeah." Varian nodded.  
  
They stopped and looked at a skeleton lying on the ground. "...Hey, why are skeletons always found naked?" Varian asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"You know...I never actually wondered before." Eugene admitted. "But, _now_ it's going to keep me up at night!"  
  
Varian giggled. "Sorry!"  
  
"Because fabric decomposes. That skeleton has been here for a long time." Demanitus said patiently.   
  
"Ohh." Varian nodded. "That makes sense."  
  
"Alternately, someone robbed their dead body." Eugene said as they walked on.  
  
"Why would they do that?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Because some people take what they can get." Eugene replied.  
  
"Have _you_ ever done that?" Varian asked.  
  
"Ah, no. No. I don't even like _looking_ at dead bodies, I certainly wouldn't _rob_ a random one I came across in a _maze_ or something. In fact, let's stop talking about it. Hey, look, carvings!" He pointed ahead of them.  
  
"There's words!" Rapunzel ran forward.  
  
Varian came up next to her. "'A room with no way in, and no way out'."  
  
"'See it in the rain, but never in a drought'." Rapunzel finished.  
  
"It's a riddle." Varian looked thoughtful. "No way in...no way out...see it in rain...but never in a drought. so it has to be _wet_ to see it." He snapped his fingers. "I got it! It's a mushroom!"  
  
"Aww, I wanted to answer it!" Rapunzel pouted.  
  
"Okay, you can do the next one." Varian grinned. "I doubt that's the only one."  
  
"I. _Love_. Riddles!" Rapunzel said excitedly.  
  
"Indeed, riddles will help you solve the maze, so there are many." Demanitus confirmed.  
  
"Riddles? Mazes? Why?" Eugene groaned.  
  
"And also..." Demanitus climbed onto Eugene's shoulders, " _faith_ is required."  
  
"Well, we left her back in Corona." Varian joked.  
  
"Huh?" Eugene blinked.  
  
"One of the maids in the castle, the girl my age? Her name is Faith." Varian grinned.  
  
"Oh my _gosh_ , I almost _forgot_ about her!" Rapunzel gasped. "Let me guess. Are you two friends?" She nudged Varian teasingly.  
  
"Eh, we get along. We didn't spend much time together, though, we met during the science expo. you know, when I was helping Cassandra with her chores so she could be my assistant, a promise she never actually followed through on? Good times." He looked around.  
  
"Heh...yeah." Rapunzel nodded, glancing away. "I did tell her off for that, but...you know Cassandra."  
  
"Yes, well, I meant faith in what you cannot see. Such as magic." Demanitus said calmly.  
  
"Uh, I see magic all the time." Eugene assured him.  
  
"And yet, you do not see _all_ magic." Demanitus assured him. "And have you never taken a jump that you were sure you could not do? Have you never put trust in someone to not lead you wrong?"  
  
Eugene looked at Rapunzel and smiled fondly. "Yeah, I have." He sighed. "But, when you grow up the way I have, you learn real quick between believing only what you see and 'having faith things will work out' could be the difference between having a hot meal or having your last."  
  
"Hah, if you're really _that_ opposed to trusting in the unknown, you are dating the _wrong_ Princess." Varian said, walking over to examine a mushroom sticking out of rocks.  
  
"Uhhh, guys!?" Rapunzel yelped.  
  
"Ack! Spiders!" Eugene hissed.  
  
Varian looked up. "Whoa, what are _ivory spiders_ doing in here?"  
  
"They're venomous!" Rapunzel cried.  
  
"It's a death trap, obviously." Demanitus said as Rapunzel used her frying pan to smack one away from her.  
  
Varian tugged on the mushroom and gasped as a lever came out. "Uhh, okay." He pulled it and the door started to open.

"Come on!" Eugene picked Varian and Demanitus up and ran through the door with Rapunzel. One tried to follow them out and got squished by the door when it slammed shut behind them.  
  
" _Amazing_! Rapunzel, write that down!" Varian said, then looked up at Eugene. "Uhm, you can put me down now."  
  
Eugene put him down. "Heh, right. That was...spooky, huh?" He said as he also set Demanitus down.  
  
"Nah. Now, a giant Pascal? _That_ was spooky." Varian smirked at Rapunzel.  
  
They continued on, Rapunzel keeping her frying pan out just in case, but after a bit she put it away and got out her journal, instead, continuing to draw a map of where they'd gone so far.  
  
\--  
  
They walked up to a well with a gorilla-like figure at the back of it. "Heh, reminds me of the automatons." Varian chuckled.  
  
"Automatons?" Demanitus looked at him. "You don't mean the one in the Herz Der Sonne tunnels?"  
  
"I mean, that one and the ones I created based on it, _including_ a big one I piloted!" Varian grinned. "I was pretty awesome. I also turned a mood potion into a truth serum!"  
  
"Really?" Demanitus looked fascinated.  
  
Eugene cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but what do we do here?"  
  
"'If thou wish to skirt a deadly stress, donate a coin and earn safe egress'." Rapunzel read from a plaque.  
  
"So, we 'wish' for safe passage?" Varian grinned and took off his backpack to pull out a coin pouch, then pulled out two coins. "Should I do one for Ruddiger, too?"  
  
"It should only be for _humans_ , but considering...hm, better safe than sorry." Demanitus nodded.  
  
Varian tossed the coins, then looked over at Eugene as Rapunzel tossed one in. "Aren't you going to?"  
  
"Maybe one for Demanitus, too." Rapunzel said. "I bet Canardist has your money, huh?"  
  
"Indeed." He nodded, and Rapunzel tossed one in for him.  
  
"Let's toss one for Pascal, too. Just in case." Varian said, and Rapunzel nodded and tossed another.  
  
"Oh, come on. You _believe_ in this stuff?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Well, I didn't _used_ to, but then a girl with _magic hair_ came into my lab and sent everything into question and then my _village_ was destroyed by _magical_ _rocks_ , and then I find out _I'm_ magical, so...yeah. Yeah, I believe this stuff. Now, toss in a coin before more ivory spiders show up." Varian walked away from the well.  
  
Eugene sighed and walked over to the well. " _Fine_." He pulled out a coin.  
  
"Don't try to trick it, Eugene." Varian warned him. "Just toss the coin in."  
  
"I _know_." Eugene sighed and looked at Varian, who was watching him closely. " _Fine_." He tossed the coin and it splashed into the water. "Happy? That was my last coin!"  
  
Varian pulled out a handful of coins from his pouch and handed them to him. "Here, happy birthday."  
  
"How did you _get_ this money, anyway?" Eugene asked as Varian secured the pouch and put it back in his backpack.  
  
"Oh, I didn't tell you? King Trevor gave it to me." Varian said casually as he fastened the backpack shut before puling it onto his back.. "As part of the travel provisions. He _really_ wants to make a good impression on the Saporians."  
  
"Or at least _you_." Eugene said, putting the coins away before they all walked on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riddles, wishing wells, what's next?
> 
> ((A/N: Some people may have noticed some changes to Demanitus' explanation in the previous chapter. I should've said this there, but those changes are because Season 3 retconned a LOT of the stuff he mentioned in that scene.))


	30. Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group continue through the maze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"I know you two probably think I'm a cynic." Eugene said as they walked.  
  
"Oh, definitely, and that's _me_ talking." Varian nodded.  
  
"You're not a cynic, Varian, you _were_ a skeptic." Eugene corrected.  
  
"Uh, have you _seen_ my life? It makes one _pretty_ cynical!" Varian gestured dramatically.  
  
"Oooh, another riddle!" Rapunzel said excitedly. "'Remove a piece and I increase'." She lowered her map and reached into a hole under the plaque.  
  
"Whoa, wait!" Eugene protested.  
  
"Wow, _that's_ trusting." Varian commented.  
  
Whatever she did, the door opened and they walked through.  
  
\--  
  
"Well, at least _Rapunzel's_ having fun." Varian said as they watched her shoot a banana at a button to open a door.  
  
"Heh, yeah." Eugene smiled fondly. "You know, I think _she's_ been in need of a distraction."  
  
"Oh, definitely." Varian nodded.  
  
"I mean, yes, the imminent threat of the Moonstone possibly _destroying_ her is gone, but she's got something even _more_ stressful to worry about. Her dad." Eugene sighed heavily. "I still can't believe that he did that...but, I saw the scars with my own eyes, so...I guess I _have_ to."  
  
"Imagine how _I_ felt. First I'm thrown out into a raging blizzard by the Royal Guard, then suddenly I'm being called a traitor, and then men following the King's order are harassing me and then..." He sighed and wrapped his arms around himself. "I thought Corona was a good, and just and kind place. How could I have been so stupid? Corona has _always_ hated me..."  
  
Eugene pulled him close and hugged him. "Not _everyone_ in Corona does."  
  
Varian smiled a bit.  
  
"Guys, come on!" Rapunzel called.  
  
They hurried after her and Demanitus.  
  
\--  
  
"Uhm, Eugene?" Varian asked as he walked behind Rapunzel. "You don't... _have_ to make it more difficult. I mean, unless you're having _fun_ crawling through the hole?"  
  
"Yes, Varian, I'm having _loads_ of fun." Eugene said from inside the rock wall next to them.  
  
"Well, as long as you're having fun!" Rapunzel giggled, then finished solving the puzzle that opened the door for them to go through.  
  
They stepped out just as Eugene came out of the hole, covered in cobwebs. Rapunzel laughed as she and Varian helped remove them and checked him for any spiders before they moved on.  
  
\--  
  
Demanitus led them along until he stopped and pointed ahead of them. In front of them was a narrow crystal tightrope of a bridge that reached out to a little island with a locked box, the scroll visible inside. Below was a pit of what looked like boiling acid.  
  
"The fourth piece of the scroll!" Rapunzel said excitedly, hugging them both. "We did it!"  
  
Demanitus chattered a bit, then shook his head. "Ugh. We better hurry."  
  
"We're running out of time?" Varian looked at him anxiously. "Already?"  
  
"There's a sign here." Eugene looked at it. "'Before thou claim thy glory, have faith the crystal bridge shall lead to thy quarry. Use the key to unlock, after thy faithful walk'." Eugene looked at Demanitus. "It's _really_ not your best work."  
  
"Yes, yes, but look!" Demanitus picked up the key, which had a monkey head on it. "A mon-key!"  
  
Eugene groaned and looked away from him with his arms crossed. "No, denied."  
  
"Here!" Demanitus threw it at him.  
  
Varian gasped and caught it just before it went over the edge. "Careful!" He said, slowly sitting up from the lying position he'd had to drop to to catch it.  
  
" _Why_ did you just do that?!" Eugene asked as he helped Varian get back up.  
  
"Well, I _intended_ for you to _catch_ it!" Demanitus said in exasperation.  
  
"Well, _someone_ did." Varian said, packing up from the edge with the key.  
  
"I wasn't ready! You gotta _warn_ me!" Eugene insisted.  
  
"I. Said. 'HERE'!" Demanitus said, gesturing emphatically.  
  
"Guys, it's okay! Varian caught it, so it's all good, right?" Rapunzel said, holding up her hands in a placating gesture. "So, uhm...who's going to cross that?"  
  
Eugene looked at the crystal bridge, then at Varian. "Varian, _you're_ the smallest. Why don't _you_ go?"  
  
"Technically, _Demanitus_ is the smallest." Varian corrected.  
  
"You know what I mean." Eugene cleared his throat. "I mean, unless you're not up to the _challenge_..."  
  
Varian looked over at the chest, clutching the key tightly in his hand. "...Doesn't look too far..." He murmured.  
  
"Varian, you _don't_ have to if it makes you uncomfortable." Rapunzel assured him.  
  
"No, I...I'm going to. If I can do _this_ , then facing the Mad King should be a _cinch_." He walked over and stepped onto the crystal. "Besides, you'll catch me if I fall, right?"  
  
She let down her hair and nodded. He nodded and started to slowly make his way across.  
  
"You know, the _proper_ thing would be for you to offer _yourself_ , not volunteer _the child_." Demanitus said as they watched Varian slowly cross it.  
  
"He'll be _fine_." Eugene assured him, but he watched closely, anyway.  
  
\--  
  
Thinking about it, Varian considered, it probably _was_ better that he was doing this instead of Eugene. His steps were lighter, so the crystal that was shifting slightly wasn't _too_ bad. He kept himself from looking down, staring ahead at his prize, his goal. The last piece of the scroll.  
  
Ruddiger chittered at him and he paused. "Ruddiger?" The raccoon reached for the key and gestured to the chest. "No, I...I want to do this myself. Thanks, though."  
  
Ruddiger nuzzled him and then they continued across, getting closer to the chest. "So, uhm... _are_ you...uh...that guy who helped us before? In the dream?"  
  
Ruddiger made an irritated growl and Varian chuckled. "Right, bad time for this. Okay."  
  
They reached the chest and Varian put in the key, unlocking it, and then reached in to pull out the scroll piece. He stared at it in awe for a bit before he handed it to Ruddiger to put in his bag and turned and started to walk back, looking ahead of him like before.  
  
The ground suddenly started to shake and the crystal started to crack. Varian stepped back in alarm, then ran forward at Rapunzel's and Eugene's urging, the crystal starting to break apart around him. He had almost reached it when the bridge fell and Rapunzel threw her hair out for him to catch. He gasped and hung on tightly, looking up. "Uh...hold on, Ruddiger." He said, letting it pull him up.  
  
They got up and Eugene helped him climb up. "You okay, kid?"  
  
"Y-Yeah. Probably good _you_ didn't go, though." Varian nodded as he stepped away from the edge.  
  
Ruddiger pulled out the scroll piece and handed it to Varian and he smiled. "Thanks, bud. Alright, let's get out of here."  
  
They all nodded and headed out, glad to be leaving the place. Varian was glad to have come, it was certainly a story to tell, but he was _very_ eager to leave it.  
  
They were almost completely out when Demanitus stumbled a bit. "Nngh...I'm running out of time." He told them. "Listen...one must unite the Sundrop and Moonstone to summon the ultimate power. The fourth piece of the scrolls contains the instructions to _wield_ that power."  
  
"Wield the power?" Rapunzel clutched at her hair and looked at Varian anxiously.  
  
"Is that why they needed _both_ of us in the dream world?" Varian asked.  
  
"In the right hands, it can be used for good." Demanitus went on. "In the wrong hands, it could be _inconceivably deadly._ That is why I tested your faith - to ensure the _purest of hearts_ controls the power!"   
  
"But, what if the Sundrop and Moonstone _can't_ be reunited?" Varian asked. "What if they're...you know, _human_?"  
  
"Then you must...must...beware..." He started to struggle to stay coherent.  
  
"Beware?" Rapunzel prompted.  
  
"The...eclipse." He managed, then shook his head. "We must return."  
  
"'Beware the eclipse'. _Lucas_ said that, _too_." Varian breathed.  
  
They stepped out of the maze and Rapunzel turned back to it. "That. Was. A-maze-ing!"  
  
"And how long have you been waiting to use _that_ one?" Varian asked as Eugene groaned.  
  
She grinned, then looked at Demanitus. "We better get you back to Madam Canardist."  
  
He nodded silently and then they walked together.  
  
\--  
  
They walked up to the caravan and Canardist's sad expression brightened up as soon as she saw them.  
  
"See ya, Vigor." Eugene said, setting him down with her. "It's been...educational."  
  
"Yeah, it was great." Varian nodded, smiling.  
  
The monkey sniffed its hand, screeched and then went inside. Canardist's smile dropped and she groaned before following him back in.  
  
"Well, _that_ was fun." Eugene looked at them. "But, _I_ think I'm ready to just sit back and relax on the way to the Dark Kingdom."  
  
"Yeah, me too." Rapunzel nodded, and they turned to go.  
  
"Wait! Wait, please!" Canardist called, and they turned back to her as Vigor came out with her. She took the jewel off his turban and held it up. "Vigor said he wanted you to have this."  
  
Eugene pulled out a silver coin and the woman sighed. "Unfortunately..." she cringed, "it is _free_."  
  
"Take it anyway." Eugene grinned. "You're running a business, right?"  
  
"If you insist." She said, and they traded the jewel for the coin. Then she slammed the door shut and Eugene turned to them. "Well, I gotta say, this has been the _weirdest, best_ birthday I've ever had."  
  
"We'll try to make sure it's less weird next year." Varian chuckled. "Now, what do you say we go back to the caravan and I'll make you a _real_ cake over the fire?"  
  
"Can we _do_ that?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Takes a bit of work, but I think we got what we need." Varian said as he walked back to the caravan.  
  
\--  
  
That night, they all sat around the fire and wished Eugene a "Happy Birthday" while he blew out the candles on the cake Varian had made with Rapunzel's eager help. Then he sat back with his cake while Rapunzel and Varian recounted the story of their trip to the maze. He looked at the gem he'd been given and his brow furrowed as he realized there was a _hinge._ Setting his cake to the side for a bit, he opened the gem and found a paper inside.  
  
[From where Love has been warped, a great Darkness will rise in the Land of the Light.]  
  
His eyes widened and he looked over at Rapunzel, who was thoroughly distracted. 'The land of the light.' He thought. 'Corona? Is something going to happen to Corona again?' He looked back at it. 'From where love has been warped...? Again with the vague, Demanitus...'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Off to the Dark Kingdom!


	31. Into the Dark Kingdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group finally reaches their destination, the Dark Kingdom.  
> Are they ready to face the Mad King?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"Alright." Rapunzel sat next to Varian and they put the four pieces of the scroll next to each other. "That's _all_ of it, then. Now we just need some glue--whoa!"  
  
Varian gasped and watched in awe as the pieces fused together to make one whole scroll. "'I'm no sorcerer', he says. What a big liar." He grinned and looked it over. "Wow...this... _wow_. I _really_ need my notes, I... _wow_."  
  
"You seem excited." Rapunzel nudged him with a grin.  
  
"I _am_! Assuming I survive the Mad King, I'm gonna have _plenty_ of time to look this over." He chuckled and rolled it up before putting it in his backpack. "Right, is everything else all packed up?" He asked, standing up.  
  
"Everything but your stool." Lance said, swiping it up and taking it inside.  
  
Adira walked over to Varian. "Don't be afraid. Hector and I will protect you." She assured him.  
  
"Afraid? Me?" He gave them a wide grin. "I just crossed a bridge over a boiling pit of acid, I'm not scared of _any_ Mad King!"  
  
"You're doing that fake-cheerful thing again." Cassandra said, walking past him.  
  
"Hehe...yeah." Varian nodded.  
  
"Next stop?" Rapunzel prompted.  
  
"The Dark Kingdom!" Everyone replied, and they all got in and set off.  
  
\--  
  
"Yah!" Eugene said as Maximus and Fidella ran along. Next to them, Varian and Hector were having a race with Ruddiger and Callan as their mounts, which Varian had insisted was Ruddiger's idea - he apparently liked being big and fast. Actually, Eugene had joined the race, which is why Maximus and Fidella were running at _all_.  
  
Rapunzel climbed up onto the skylight and joined Adira on the roof, holding her hair back as they ran along. "Hey, there it is!" She yelled, pointing ahead of them.  
  
Ruddiger skidded to a stop at the end and let out a triumphant roar, with Callan coming up just behind him.  
  
"Yes, yes, you win, you win." Eugene said as Varian did a victory dance on Ruddiger's back.  
  
"What did you _do_ to those bimberries?" Hector laughed.  
  
Varian hopped down and hugged Ruddiger, then looked out at the castle in the distance. "Whoa..." He breathed. "That's it?"  
  
"That's it." Hector nodded. "We can't bring the caravan, too big, so let's secure it so it doesn't roll away."  
  
"Yep." Varian walked over as Eugene hopped down and they started to hammer hooks into the ground before they used rope to anchor the caravan.  
  
"Why can't we bring the caravan?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Like I said, too big." Hector looked at her. "Or rather, the _rocks_ are too big."  
  
"Ohhh." She nodded. "Okay."  
  
They finished securing the caravan and then Eugene got on Maximus Rapunzel got on Fidella, while Cassandra got on with Hector and Shorty on Callan. Varian got on Ruddiger with Lance, while Adira insisted on walking instead of riding with someone, and the birds flew overhead.  
  
"Shouldn't he have changed back by now?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Oh, we adjusted it so it lasted longer." Varian said. "Or rather, Ruddiger did it in the middle of the night while I was asleep. Apparently, since Demanitus blew his cover, he's acting like a human when I'm not looking now, and acting a lot more intelligent than before."  
  
Rapunzel giggled. "Well, let's see how long it lasts. Everyone ready?"  
  
Owl and Cleo lifted off the caravan and circled over them.  
  
"You two watch the caravan." Hector told his bearcats. "Protect it from robbers. We'll be back for it."  
  
They nodded and started to circle the caravan dutifully.  
  
"Right." Varian looked towards the castle. "Off we go."  
  
\--  
  
"You weren't kidding." Rapunzel said as they carefully weaved around huge, sharp, black rocks that were littering the path to the dark kingdom. "There's _no way_ the caravan could fit in here, even if we split it."  
  
"Let's stop for a break." Eugene suggested. "Ruddiger looks like he's about to change back."  
  
"That true, Ruddiger?" Varian asked him.  
  
Ruddiger nodded and he and Lance got off, just as Ruddiger started glowing and reverted back to his smaller form. Then he climbed up onto Varian's shoulders and gave an exhausted yawn.  
  
"We'll rest for a bit, and then Lance will ride with me, while Varian rides with Rapunzel." Eugene suggested.  
  
"Sure you two lovebirds don't want to ride together?" Cassandra smirked as she got down off of Callan.  
  
Hector got down and set Shorty on the ground before pulling out a snack for Callan.  
  
They got out treats for the horses and Ruddiger and then sat down to eat a packed meal.  
  
Eugene sighed and walked over to look at the castle, then pulled out the warning again, his lips pursed. Should he tell them now? Maybe it would be best to wait until after, they had no much on their minds right now. He looked over at Rapunzel and Varian sitting and eating together with Pascal and Ruddiger and realized that he'd come to care for Varian almost as much as he did for Rapunzel. He wasn't sure when it happened, sometime between the Glass Sipper and now, but he'd really grown to care for the kid. The thought of him being hurt by the Mad King upset Eugene as much as it did Hector and Adira.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
He gasped as Hector swiped it out of his hands. "Whoa, hey!"  
  
"'Where love has been warped, a great darkness will rise in the land of the light'. What's this?" Hector asked curiously.  
  
"What?" Rapunzel looked up.  
  
Eugene sighed. "It's a fortune I found in the jewel Demanitus gave me." He explained. "I intended to show you guys _after_ we finished up here."  
  
"Speaking of finishing up, I think it's time we walk on." Cassandra suggested.  
  
"Okay, let's mount up." Rapunzel said, and they all cleaned up from their food and got onto the horses and Callan.  
  
Adira was looked around on alert. "Everything okay?" Varian asked her.  
  
"I'm looking for the--" She stopped. "There." She pointed ahead of them. "The ravens have seen us."  
  
"Ravens?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Yes, the ravens." Adira told them. "They--"  
  
"Hey!" Eugene yelped as something hit his face, then dropped into his lap. "Uh, what?"  
  
A raven was looking up at him, looking dazed, and then he squawked excitedly and hopped up onto his shoulder before nuzzling him. "Uhhh, can someone get this crow...raven...whatever he is off me?"  
  
"I don't know, he seems to like you." Varian chuckled.  
  
Adira's eyes were ride and Hector was cringing. "Sister, that's not..."  
  
"It is." Adira sighed. "Hello, Hamuel."  
  
He squawked at her, then flew off Eugene's shoulder and circled her before hovering in the air with an accusing look before he lifted into the air and then more ravens were coming at them.  
  
"Uhhhh, RUN!" Rapunzel cried, and they rode down towards the Dark Kingdom, evading ravens trying to peck at them, with Owl and Cleo trying to fight them off.   
  
"Wonderful! Even the _birds_ in this kingdom are hostile!" Eugene said as they weaved sharply around the black rocks, causing a few of the birds to slam into them.  
  
" _What_ do they _want_?!" Rapunzel cried.  
  
They reached the dead land and kicked up dust. Varian groaned in pain and wavered before he suddenly fell off of Maximus.  
  
"Kid!" Eugene pulled to a stop and got off Maxmus to kneel next to him. "Varian!"  
  
"Varian!?" The others pulled to a stop and dismounted and created a protective circle around them.  
  
"My head..." Varian groaned and unfastened his gloves, pulling them off. As soon as he did, his hairstripe started to glow, as well as his eyes and fingertips. The ravens halted their attack, then flew off towards the castle.  
  
"What was _that_?" Cassandra asked.  
  
"They recognized what he is." Adira said as she sheathed her sword. "They've gone to tell the King."  
  
"Hey, has anyone seen that weirdly-affectionate one?" Eugene asked as he helped Varian get up. "Here." He picked up his gloves for him.  
  
"Uhm...yeah, just...can you put them in my bag? My head doesn't feel like it's going to explode right now." Varian said, brushing his glowing hair out his face.  
  
"How _do_ you feel?" Rapunzel asked him.  
  
"Like..." Varian smiled a bit. "Like I've finally come home after a long, long time away. The piece of the moonstone inside me senses the Moonstone in the castle."  
  
"Well, let's get to reuniting them." Eugene smiled, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Ready to ride on?"  
  
"Yeah." Varian nodded.  
  
They all got on their mounts and headed on towards the castle, Adira walking alongside as before.  
  
"So, who's Hamuel?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"He's the King's favored raven. Crow. He's half and half, actually." Hector explained. "He leads the Raven Brigade, and reports to the King directly. He probably took off to tell him we're here while they were all attacking us."  
  
"So, _why_ was he so excited to see Eugene?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
Adira and Hector both shrugged.  
  
"Whatever his reason, it doesn't change our quest." Cassandra said firmly. "We press on. The sooner we get through this, the sooner we can _all_ feel at ease."  
  
"Yeah, uh, how?" Varian asked as Maximus stopped short. He and Eugene climbed down off it. "Oh, that looks pretty deep."  
  
"Look at all those rocks, too." Eugene cringed. "There's _no_ way we can safely get down there, not to mention that it'd break the necks of our mounts."  
  
"Hmm..." Rapunzel walked over and looked down. "Yeah..."  
  
\--  
  
Hamuel flew to the castle and in through a window. He stumbled a bit on the windowsill and hit the ground, then climbed up onto his perch with a grumble before settling down and cawing with exasperation.  
  
"The interlopers still approach?" A large man in the shadows asked.  
  
He cawed again, ruffling his feathers.  
  
"Then, we have work to do." The man grabbed an axe on the wall bearing the Brotherhood symbol and left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So close, but so far! How do they get to the castle?!


	32. Mad King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group face the Mad King.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"Maybe we can call the Saporians for a lift." Varian mused as they all sat around trying to think of a way across.  
  
"Nah, there's gotta be some way in. Hector, don't you know?" Eugene looked at him.  
  
"I haven't been back here in two decades." Hector admitted. "The black rocks weren't this bad before, and there was a bridge we could cross."  
  
Adira nodded, looking thoughtful.  
  
"Guys!" Rapunzel walked up to them. "I found a way across!"   
  
They all got up and went to follow her. She smiled and pointed to an old, creaky gondola. "Ta-dah!"  
  
"...Oh no." Hector paled.  
  
"Are you _scared_?" Adira teased.  
  
"No, absolutely not, I'm sure it is _not_ as terrifyingly about to fall as it was when we were kids! And why it is out so far?!" Hector gestured to it anxiously.  
  
"You're scared." Adira grinned.  
  
Hector stepped back.  
  
"Aw, come on! It's just a gondola!" Rapunzel said encouragingly. "Who's scared of a _gondola_?"  
  
Something fell off the side and everyone but Adira and Rapunzel raised their hands.  
  
"Yeah, high-fives!" Rapunzel went down the line clapping her hand against their raised ones. "I _love_ these attitudes!"  
  
"Blondie, that thing's a good fifty yards out there." Eugene pointed out.  
  
"I can get it." Adira said, stepping forward. " _I'm_ not afraid of it."  
  
Hector fumed as she walked off to do so. "I'll get across, then wheel it back here for the rest of you." She called back to them.  
  
"If the rhino gets on that thing, it's going to fall." Eugene said nervously.  
  
Hector sighed. "He's right." He turned to Callan. "Wait here for us?"  
  
Callan nuzzled him affectionately.  
  
"Be careful, Adira!" Varian cried.  
  
\--  
  
Adira slowly and carefully crossed the thin cable, trying not to think about the sharp rocks down below. She scanned the skies for any sign of the ravens and kept walking forward until she reached the gondola and dropped down into it.  
  
"Okay." She said, going to the wheel. "Let's get you back over there."  
  
It took a bit, thanks to the downhill slope, but she managed to get it back up the cable and docked at the tower where the others waited. Then she opened the door and stepped out. "Right. Let's get going, then."  
  
Rapunzel smiled and led everyone into the gondola with her. Adira hopped on top of it to avoid the crowd and Cassandra and Lance took over wheeling them down.  
  
\--  
  
Varian stood at the window, feeling anxious. Rapunzel walked over to him and sighed. "You okay?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I'm happy to be here, but also terrified? I mean...how did it feel for you, when you first came back to the castle after living in the tower for eighteen years?" He looked at her.  
  
"Kind of like that, actually. Like...everything was different, and I was excited but also...scared. Nervous. Afraid I'd be rejected after losing the only mother I'd ever known." She sighed. "It's...it's complicated."  
  
He nodded. "It's complicated."  
  
"Look out!" Adira called as they heard her unsheathing her sword. Then they heard blades clashing together and opened the skylight to see Adira fending off a man with a bear head.  
  
"...That must be him." Varian said, chuckling nervously.  
  
Adira kicked the door shut. "I'll hold him off. Get us over there!" She called.  
  
"Faster, you two!" Rapunzel said, and Cassandra and Lance started to pull the lever back and forth to take them down to the castle.  
  
"Agh!"  
  
"Adira!" Varian climbed out a window before Hector could stop him and found himself staring up at the bear's head glaring down at him. His eyes widened with fear and then narrowed with determination as he nodded to Ruddiger, who lunged at the man while Varian climbed up.  
  
"Varian!" Rapunzel climbed up after him.  
  
"Adira's hurt!" Varian looked at her, then gasped and quickly caught Ruddiger before he flew off the side and held him close. Hector came up and blocked the axe coming for Varian, just as Eugene and Rapunzel got up on top.  
  
"I don't think so, buster!" Rapunzel said firmly.  
  
The bear roared and then knocked Hector aside before swinging the axe again. To his shock, Varian's hair glowed completely just as he did it and one of the the axe's blades was shattered. Before he could recover from the shock, Rapunzel had him caught around the legs and he was knocked down.  
  
"Hector, get Adira down below!" Varian said, pulling out his sword and glaring up at the man.  
  
"Right!" Hector lifted Adira into his arms and dropped back down into the gondola.  
  
"Ruddiger, goo!" Varian said, and the raccoon grabbed goo gombs and handed them to Varian, who tossed them at the feet of the bear-man. He let out a roar as he found himself trapped and then Rapunzel, Eugene and Varian stood around him, Eugene yanking his axe from his hands.  
  
"Alright! That wasn't so bad!" He said with relief. "Hector, is Adira alright?"  
  
"She'll be okay." Hector assured him.  
  
The bear-man struggled to escape the goo and Varian laughed. "Sorry, but you'd have to have the strength of a rhino to pull yourself out of there. I made it virtually indestructible."  
  
The bear-man growled at him.  
  
"Don't you growl at him, _you_ attacked _us_!" Rapunzel moved between them.  
  
They reached the other side and Varian looked forward, his hair flashing fully blue for a bit again as Rapunzel's hair also lit up. "It's calling." He said, then looked at the bear-man. "And _we're_ _going_."  
  
The man just growled at him again.  
  
Varian reached into his pocket and pulled out the neutralizer. "Uh, is that a good idea?" Eugene asked.  
  
"I can't just leave him here." Varian said as he neutralized the goo.  
  
"Why _not_?" Eugene asked.  
  
The bear-man growled. "Showing pity on me won't make me not want to kill you."  
  
Varian put the vial away. "Maybe not. But my father had a mission given to him by the Moonstone, and I'm the fruits of his labor. I have to reunite with the Moonstone."  
  
He faltered. "...Your father?"  
  
"He's Quirin's son." Hector said as he and Adira climbed back out, Adira's side wrapped up with a bandage. "And the Moonstone's vessel. This is the Sundrop, by the way." He gestured to Rapunzel.  
  
The bear-man looked at Varian silently, then hopped off the gondola. "If it is the moonstone's will..." He muttered.  
  
They all felt relieved and got out of the gondola to follow the man inside.  
  
\--  
  
"If you are Quirin's son, where is he?" The bear-man said as they approached a throne. He took off the bear-head and set it to the side, revealing a human head underneath.  
  
"It's...complicated." Varian said, glancing away. "I...my father didn't tell me about my...about the Moonstone. He kept saying I wasn't ready. when the Moonstone sent black rocks to Corona to seek out the Sundrop, I tried yo find a way to get rid of them using alchemy, like how I created the goo that trapped your legs. One of my solutions turned the rock into amber, and he was caught in it as it grew, p-pushed me out of the way to save me." He hung his head and Eugene placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I see." He nodded solemnly. "And now you have come for the Moonstone, alongside my son." He added softly, gesturing to Eugene.  
  
"Pardon?" Eugene asked.  
  
The man just smiled and walked off. "I will show you."  
  
"Wait, excuse me?!" Eugene headed after him.  
  
"Eugene?" Rapunzel called after him, but he kept on following the man.  
  
Varian watched him go, then looked around the throne room. It was dark and bleak, but not _too_ different from Corona's. The Brotherhood symbol was painted on the floor beneath them instead of a long carpet and the throne itself was on the same level as the rest of the floor.  
  
He didn't actually know the way to the Moonstone and, while he could ask Adira and Hector, he felt it was right to wait for Eugene and his...father(?) to come back.  
  
\--  
  
"Hey, wait!" Eugene caught up to the man. "What...what do you mean _son_?"  
  
"I mean exactly what I said." He opened a door and walked over to a pile of papers. "Two decades ago, and then some, I was forced to send away my beloved subjects, as well as my son." He picked up one of the papers and showed it to him. "While it was too dangerous to bring you home, or even to make contact, I watched over you the best way I knew how. I had my ravens collect your wanted posters once you started to make a name for yourself. A thief is not a profession I would have chosen were I you, but there's all kinds."  
  
Eugene looked at the wanted poster, one of his very first from when he was barely a teen. "You...all these years...?"  
  
"Yes. I know it's hard to believe, and I understand if you're upset. But, I can tell, you are my son." He smiled sadly. "You...resemble your mother, as well as myself. And, I am pleased that you have grown up, despite your dishonest profession for a time, to be a good man."  
  
"How do you know I'm a good man?" Eugene asked.  
  
"I can tell a lot by looking into a man's eyes." The man smiled. "Now, we should be returning to the others. I am sure they are wondering where we are."  
  
"Are you...you're not...upset we're here?" Eugene asked.  
  
"While it would have ideally been Quirin to bring him, and I didn't even know he had this mission at all, the fact remains that the boy is a piece of the Moonstone. His hair is proof enough." The King started to lead him back. "I once sought to destroy the Moonstone, but perhaps just giving it a human vessel will be enough to end the tyranny."  
  
"Can I...uh...take a moment? I'll catch up." Eugene said, and the King nodded and walked off while Eugene went over to the Wanted posters, staring at them in disbelief before he sat down next to them. "All this time...I've had _family_...I'm a _prince_...I...how am I supposed to _feel_ about this? Is _this_ how _Varian_ felt when he learned he was the _Moonstone?_ How _Rapunzel_ felt when she realized she was the _lost princess_?" He held his head with a groan. "I don't know how to feel..."  
  
He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Everything's different now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to unite with the Moonstone. Reunite? Something.
> 
> ((A/N: Wow, I am loving all the theories guys! XD I can't give anything away, just wanted to say I'm really enjoying every theory you guys have come up with!))


	33. Moonstone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian faces the Moonstone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Before they would go to the Moonstone Chamber, the King said, they would share a meal. Hector and Adira didn't join them for it, since Hector was treating Adira's wounds in the privacy of her old bedroom, but they would "catch up" later, the King had assured them.  
  
Apparently, any hard feelings about her "betrayal" had been forgiven.  
  
"So, uh, Your Majesty..." Varian started.  
  
"Please, call me Edmund. _I_ should be bowing to _you_ , not the other way around." The King assured him.  
  
"Uh, please don't?" Varian looked at a loss. "Have you... _really_ been alone here for...two decades? Did my dad ever contact you?"  
  
"Sadly, yes. Well, aside from my ravens." He looked at one of the ravens, which looked like a cross between a raven and a crow like Hamuel was. Hamuel, by the way, was seated on the King's shoulder, eyeing Cleo and Owl. "They're decent enough, but I do miss human contact. I haven't heard anything from your father since he left."  
  
"Yeah, I know the feeling." Varian sighed. "There was a few months of my life where all I had was Ruddiger. Well, of the people on my side. It was me and him against the world." He held Ruddiger close and nuzzled him.  
  
"We _are_ eventually gonna talk about the whole 'actually a transformed centuries-old human' thing, right?" Eugene asked, looking at him.  
  
"Eventually." Varian nodded.  
  
"I still can't believe it, though, Eugene. A prince! Oh, wait until _Nigel_ hears, he'll eat _all_ the words he said about you behind you back about you not being 'worthy of a princess' because you weren't royalty! He was even talking about arranging me to _marry a prince_ at some point in the future! Of course, my mother put a stop to that." Rapunzel said excitedly, looking at Eugene.  
  
"So, uh...so, what about my...my mom?" Eugene asked. "We haven't talked about her."  
  
King Edmund sighed and looked up at a painting over the fireplace behind him. "She was beautiful. The Moonstone took her from us shortly before I decided to attempt to destroy it. It was...the final straw, for me. I wanted to destroy it, before it took you, too."  
  
Varian looked at Eugene, "I'm sorry, Eugene."  
  
"Hey, I'm gonna tell you the same thing Rapunzel told Cassandra. Don't apologize for something you had no control over. You weren't even _born_ then!" Eugene shook his head. "Besides, I'm not too broken up about it. I mean, I wish I'd gotten to know her, but you can't miss what you never had, right?"  
  
"Guess so." Varian poked at his food, then looked at King Edmund. "Why did the Dark Kingdom keep the Moonstone protected, if it was so dangerous?"  
  
"It wasn't always. Our people honored and protected the Moonstone for generations, and we were loved and cared for by her gentle embrace. But, one day, it just...started to attack us. The black rocks that had sheltered us and assisted us suddenly turned on us, destroying our homes. And then the plague begin. This would go on for many years, before it would all go back to normal and things would be happy again. But then it would start again once more. It became a wicked pattern that I decided to stop."  
  
Varian looked at his glowing fingertips. "...The plague." He murmured. "Lucas called it 'The Song of Death'..."  
  
"Decay, actually." King Edmund corrected gently. "It does not just kill, but slowly saps out the life of whoever is unfortunate enough to be near it." He sighed. "I would hope that you would not be as...cruel as your predecessor."  
  
"Of course not." Varian shook his head. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I never have. E-Even if it still happens...I never _intend_ to..." He hung his head.  
  
King Edmund looked at him thoughtfully. "You have kind eyes. I believe you."  
  
"Apparently, he can tell a _lot_ about someone by looking into their eyes." Eugene said, poking at his food.  
  
Cassandra sighed and got up, her plate empty. "I'm going to go check in on Adira."  
  
"Aww, you've warmed up to her!" Eugene said teasingly.  
  
"She was hurt trying to protect us. It's the least I could do." She walked off.  
  
Varian sighed. "If it's alright...I think I'd like to wait until everyone is with me to...to see the Moonstone."  
  
"Will the Moonstone _wait_ that long?" Eugene asked, noticing their hair both lighting up completely again. "It's been doing that off and on since we got here."  
  
"It might be best for you to take it now." Rapunzel said, reaching out and squeezing his hand. "I know, you're scared, but I'm going to be with you, okay?"  
  
Varian nodded, smiling shakily at her.  
  
King Edmund stood up. "I will show you the way."  
  
"I'll, uh, keep an eye on Shorty." Lance said as he picked up more food.  
  
\--  
  
King Edmund led Rapunzel, Eugene and Varian through the castle, pausing every so often to let them look around. They reached a large room with tall statues along the walls, including an unfinished one of himself. "Our former Kings and Queens." He explained as they walked through the room. "Sworn to serve and protect the Moonstone, even in death. When I pass, my soul will be in this statue, to watch over the Moonstone."  
  
"I mean, you don't _have_ to do that. I live in _Corona_." Varian said. "And, you know, I'm going to have the Moonstone _with_ me, so..." He sighed. "Though, if Rapunzel doesn't figure out the whole... _mess_ over there, this might be a good place to move to and hide from the angry mobs."  
  
"We'll figure it out." Rapunzel assured him. "And my father _will_ pay for what he did to you."  
  
King Edmund looked at them curiously. "What he did?"  
  
"Uh, well, we'll figure it out." Eugene said, laughing awkwardly. "You don't need to get involved, Your Majes--Edmund."  
  
"Hm..." King Edmund looked forward and they walked on, approaching double-doored room with doors that towered over them. "The Moonstone lies in here."  
  
He opened the doors and stepped to the side. Varian stepped in first, gasping softly as he felt a rush of energy. He walked to the edge of a broken bridge and the black rocks along the wall shifted and reshaped to create a bridge for him. The king stood back with Eugene, as Rapunzel slowly followed Varian out across the bridge.  
  
"We made it, Ruddiger." Varian said softly. "We finally made it. With this...we can finally free my dad."  
  
Ruddiger chittered happily and then Varian turned to see Rapunzel had caught up with him.  
  
"I'll hold your hand, and you take it with the other one." She smiled. "That way, the Moonstone can see both of us."  
  
He nodded and they walked together, hand-in-hand, as the cage around the Moonstone opened up and the stone lifted into the air. Varian felt energy wrap around him, like a loving embrace, and he walked closer and closer to the Moonstone before they stopped at the end of the bridge. He took a deep breath, feeling nervous, and then walked forward, reaching out his free hand.  
  
The moonstone didn't wait for his hand to reach it. As soon as he was close enough, it flew forward and pushed against his chest, making him let out a cry of alarm. He tried to grab it with both hands, but he couldn't control his body and then he was lifting into the air, Ruddiger falling off his shoulders as he did, his hands clutching at his chest as he started to cry out in pain. Sparks came out of his body and Rapunzel stepped back in alarm. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he felt the stone push into his body until he couldn't feel it anymore, its power spreading throughout him. His stripe turned white and the rest of his hair turned blue and he felt cold, but hot, and so good but so terrible all at the same time, he wanted it to end one way or the other!  
  
\--  
  
Finally, the glowing stopped and he slowly fell to the bridge, his consciousness fading. Rapunzel ran to catch him, but black rocks came up and caught him, cradling him in a hold. Then the rocks started to close around his unconscious form protectively.  
  
"Uh..." Eugene frowned.  
  
"Varian...?" Rapunzel walked over and placed her hand on one of the rocks.  
  
 ** _The little one needs_** _**sleep.**_ She heard a voice echo in the chamber. _**The rocks will open when he wakes. His body is adjusting to the change. Let him rest, dear Sundrop.**_ _  
  
_"Uhm...okay. I guess we'll...stay the night?" She stepped back. "We'll...we'll be back."  
  
She went across the bridge to Eugene. "I think that was the Moonstone." She said quietly.  
  
"...So...we just let him rest?" Eugene asked.  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "King Edmund?"  
  
"I have plenty of rooms here." He assured her.  
  
"Is that blue hair permanent?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Shh. Let's let him sleep." Rapunzel looked over and saw Ruddiger climbing between the rock and curling up against his beloved human. "He's in good hands." She smiled and then closed the doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing like a good ol' Moonstone shoving into your chest to put you down for a much-needed nap, eh?
> 
> ((A/N: Just a heads up, once they finish in the Dark Kingdom, I'm going on a short break to do some Christmas-themed stuff. I have a picture (non-Tangled-related) I want to do, a Christmas gift to draw, and a Christmas Tangled one-shot I need to finish.
> 
> I do have to ask, though, what do you guys feel about Eugerian? I have a Moon!VarianxPrinceHorace Dark Kingdom-centric fic I've written a chapter for and I've been debating on posting it. Features lovestruck Brotherhood!Eugene/Horace.))


	34. Rest and Relaxation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Varian rests, everyone else takes some time to wind down and discuss their next move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"Is he okay?!" Cassandra asked in alarm. She'd just been told of what went down in the Moonstone Chamber.  
  
"He's fine! I think. He's still adjusting to it. I honestly didn't expect the Moonstone to go _into_ him!" Rapunzel said, then paused. "I wonder if the _Sundrop_ has a stone form, too?"  
  
"Speaking of the sun, we should probably discuss that warning." Cassandra suggested.  
  
"I don't think we can do much about it right now." Eugene said with a sigh. "Aside from pray Corona's okay. The Saporians wouldn't attack it now, right? Then again, we also have to figure out how we're going to _leave_ this place. You know, without taking the caravan all the way back across two continents."  
  
"Also, you have to figure out _how_ , exactly, you're going to make the King face justice for what he did to Varian." Cassandra reminded her. "We shouldn't just rush in and start accusing him, we need to work on the people. The only way we can make the King face justice is if he's no longer in power."  
  
"What do you suggest?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Revolution." Cassandra said firmly. "As the Princess, you can turn the people against him discreetly. They'll take him off the throne and put you on it, Long Live the Queen, and King Frederic can finally face retribution for _everything_ he has done wrong to the Kingdom, starting with _lying to everyone_ and letting a known threat destroy the Kingdom without arranging _any_ form of an evacuation plan!"  
  
"You've been thinking about this a _while_ , haven't you?" Lance commented.  
  
"A little while, yeah." Cassandra nodded. "But, we have to be careful, sneaky. I'm sure Lady Caine knows all the ins and outs of how to spread the word in secret."  
  
"If we get caught arranging this, it's treason." Rapunzel said softly.  
  
"Turning against him at _all_ is treason, Your Highness." Cassandra reminded her. "There's _no way_ we can get justice for Varian without committing treason. The King is _not_ of a sound mind, it's time to take him off the throne! He terrorized and beat a _child_!"  
  
" _Wow_ , Cass." Eugene breathed. "I'm actually _impressed_. You're talking about _treason_ , you're putting Varian's _trauma_ above your loyalty to the crown!"  
  
"My _loyalty_ ," Cassandra said firmly, "is to _Rapunzel_ , and it _always_ has been. And she's going to be an amazing Queen, and you'll probably make a better King than any of the others we've had. I mean, you're honest, for an ex-thief, and you don't cover up threats or the truth. I mean, come on, you were freaking out and warning us about Varian's invention before it even went off. That's the kind of King that Corona needs, one that recognizes danger and acts on it before it strikes!" She pounded her fist into her hand.  
  
"Well said!" King Edmund said proudly, walking into the room. "Oh, sorry for interrupting. I made brownies!"  
  
"I _love_ brownies!" Rapunzel got up. "We should make sure to save some for Varian, he's probably gonna need some chocolate."  
  
"How did you get the ingredients?" Eugene asked, getting up. "Actually, how did you get _any_ of this food?"  
  
"My ravens get it for me." King Edmund assured him. "They take good care of me."  
  
"King Edmund, I know that we tried not to involve you before, but..." Rapunzel sighed. "I _think_ we may want your assistance. The Brotherhood would be a great help with our goal, and seeing as Varian, my father's biggest victim, is the _Moonstone_..."  
  
"We would help you regardless, he is _family_." King Edmund assured her. "Though...what _did_ he do?"  
  
They exchanged nervous looks and then Eugene walked over to him. "Uhm, let's go talk over here. It's a bit of a long story."  
  
They walked out of the room and Lance turned to them. "So...let's go get brownies."  
  
"Where's Varian's bag?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Oh, he left it in the dining room." Lance held it up. "Why?"  
  
"We need to contact Andrew. We're going to need a lift to Corona, do they have anything big?" Rapunzel asked as she walked over to take the mirror out of Varian's backpack and tapped it twice. "Andrew!"  
  
The mirror glowed and she saw Andrew's image in it. "Rapunzel, _this_ is a surprise. I expected Varian."  
  
"Varian's taking a magical nap to adjust to the Moonstone entering his body." Rapunzel informed him. "Andrew, we're going to need some help getting back to Corona. What do you have that's big?"  
  
"We have airships." Andrew chuckled. "What's the plan, Princess?"  
  
"Well..." Rapunzel took a deep breath. "I'm going to arrange a political revolution. I'm taking my father off the throne, but I need the peoples' help. And anything you and Lady Caine can offer us."  
  
"Say the word, Princess, we're flying your banner." Lady Caine said, coming into view and leaning on Andrew's shoulder. "Whatever you need, we'll get it."  
  
"Powerful allies with good, persuasive connections in Corona, and a heck of a good propaganda teller." Cassandra said, walking up next to her. "We need to turn even the most loyal against the King. Not the Queen, though, she knew nothing of his crimes. The King and the Kings before him, however, have been lying and tricking everyone, even their Queens, for centuries."  
  
"We'll get right on it." Lady Caine grinned. "When do you need a pickup?"  
  
"Varian is recovering, and Adira is healing from a battle--oh! I wonder if I can heal again now?" Rapunzel realized. "I should try it!"  
  
"Whatever you gotta do, Princess. We'll be waiting for your word." Andrew assured her. "In the meantime, we'll start contacting our people on the ground in Corona. It'll take a lot of time, but you'll get your revolution, and Queen Rapunzel will reign."  
  
"There's something else we need to ask you to watch out for. We ran into Lucas out here, I'm sure Varian told you. Have your man on the ground keep an eye out for him, see if he's back in Corona yet. He's not here, so I can only assume that he and Tromus went back to Corona."  
  
Andrew nodded. "Absolutely, we'll let you know. I need my mirror free, so..."  
  
"Right." Rapunzel nodded. "Good luck."  
  
"We'll wait for word from you. Rest well, you're going to need it. Revolution is messy, but now is the time to stand. Until later, Princess." Andrew said, then cut off contact.  
  
Rapunzel stared at the mirror. "I can't believe I _did_ that." She held her head anxiously. "I can't believe I did that." She hopped up and down. "I can't believe I DID THAT!" She started to pace. "Father will be furious! I just arranged for people to start the process that will _throw him off of his throne!_ This is the _ultimate treason_!"  
  
"Hey, hey! Raps!" Cassandra moved in front of her and gently grabbed her arms. "This is a _good_ thing. You _know_ he needs to be off the throne, or else...well, who _knows_ what he'll do? Lock you in a tower again? Take Varian to that bunker he planned to take him to before? Varian has only _just_ gotten the Moonstone, he doesn't know how to use it yet, and we _can't_ let your father know he's back!"  
  
"So, what do we do?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
Cassandra sighed. "I don't know. They'll know something's up as soon as they realize the amber is gone."  
  
Rapunzel looked thoughtful. "Okay. I'm putting Varian under my official protection as Princess, then. And if he tries to lock me up, well, he didn't keep me in before!" She started to pace again. "But, Varian _can't_ stay where my father can send someone to attack him. What places do _I_ know of that my father doesn't?"  
  
"There's the tunnels under Old Corona, the Demanitus Chamber, heck, he could stay in my childhood home from before I got, uh, abandoned." Cassandra suggested.  
  
"I need to think about this." Rapunzel nodded. "Maybe I can get my mother to help me just ensure he has Royal Protection. There's _no way_ she's in support of what my father has done, Varian said she didn't even _know_! So, if I _tell_ her..."  
  
"Are we contacting King Trevor?" Lance asked.  
  
"...Probably. I don't know yet. That would be all-out war if _he_ gets involved, not just a revolution." Rapunzel sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "I'm...I'm going to try healing Adira."  
  
"Wait." Cassandra held up a hand. "Try using the spell, first."  
  
Rapunzel took a deep breath, untied her hair, then started to sing. " _Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine--"_ She gasped when she realized her hair was glowing. "It works!"  
  
"Good." Cassandra nodded. "But, it's probably lost its indestructible trait, so don't be so quick to use your hair as a shield anymore. I mean, unless you want to get a concussion or an impromptu haircut."  
  
"Yeah. Well, I'm going to Adira!" Rapunzel walked out of the room.  
  
Cassandra watched her go, then sighed and picked up the mirror Rapunzel had dropped during her pacing. "...Oh, I hope we don't regret this."  
  
\--  
  
Thanks to Rapunzel's healing power, Adira was up and on her feet and sparring with Hector and King Edmund in no time. Rapunzel, hoeever, was feeling too tired from both the long day and using her magic after so long that she just wanted to sleep.  
  
"Hey, uh, Sunshine?" Eugene walked up to her. "One, awesome, got your healing back. Two...something's different about the chamber."  
  
"What do you mean?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Just...come on." Eugene led the way. Rapunzel followed, feeling anxiously worried. They reached the doors and Eugene opened them. To Rapunzel's surprise, the room had been changed into a bedroom, with Varian fast asleep under covers he didn't have before.  
  
"'The moon provides', apparently." Eugene said as Rapunzel stepped inside.  
  
Everything was made of black rocks. Even the blanket, when she got closer to the cage he was still in, was made of tiny black rocks all linked together as fine as sand. Ruddiger was curled up next to him, and Rapunzel couldn't help but notice the cage was bigger, less cramped, and he was on a mattress made of the same black-rock links.  
  
Rapunzel sighed softly, feeling relieved. "Well, as long as he's comfortable." She turned to Eugene. "I'm going to go sleep, too."  
  
"Sleep well, Blondie." He kissed her sweetly and then they walked out together, Eugene closing the doors behind them.  
  
"Long Live the Queen." He murmured as he watched Rapunzel walk off to find a room to sleep in.  
  
\--  
  
Completely unaware of what plans were being made by the others, or even that his sleeping location had changed around him, Varian slept on peacefully. The pain was gone, replaced with a gentle thrumming all through his body. He could hear a gentle voice singing to him and he longed to sing along but didn't know the words, nor could he get a sound out. He was in water, but he wasn't drowning. He drifted through it easily, like he'd been doing it his whole life, and when he rose to the surface he was bathed in the moonlight that shone down on him from a full moon in a clear sky. He felt comfortable and warm and reached out to the moon with one hand. A shimmering figure took his hand and pulled him up onto the bank of an island and helped him stand, taking the shape of a tall woman with silver hair, white skin and a black and blue dress with glowing, blue eyes.  
  
" ** _I've been waiting so long for you._** " The woman told him, " _ **So many years. I'm so happy to see you, my dear sliver. Finally, we are one.**_ "  
  
"Oh." He breathed, finally able to speak. "You're the Moon." He frowned. "Why did you try to destroy Corona?"  
  
" _ **I sought out the Sundrop, following its power. I did not intend to destroy anything, but I do feel terrible for what happened to Quirin's village. He has always been so loyal, and I look forward to his freedom as much as you do.**_ " She reached out another hand and pulled him close to her, stroking his hair fondly. " _ **But, my poor sliver, you have made dangerous enemies.**_ "  
  
"Yeah, I know." He sighed. "The Disciples, the King of Corona, I'm super talented at that."  
  
She rubbed his head affectionately. " _ **Luckily, you have made many allies on your way to me, and they will help you with the coming danger. The darkness is coming, and you must be wary of it.**_ "  
  
"I understand." He nodded. "How do I control the rocks?"  
  
" _ **Do you want the answers given to you, or do you want to search yourself? The incantation is on the scroll.**_ " She informed him.  
  
"Then, I'll learn it myself." Varian nodded. "The decay spell...it'll melt the amber, right?"  
  
" _ **Well, why don't you find out yourself? You are a man of science, even if I tell you that it will, you won't believe me until you test it out** **yourself.**_ "  
  
He chuckled. "You know me so well, huh?"  
  
" _ **I have always been a part of you, my precious**_ **sliver.** " She smiled fondly down at him.  
  
He nodded. "I guess you have, huh?" He sighed. "I never thought I'd feel so... _complete_ after taking you."  
  
" _ **Welcome home, dear**_ **one.** " She cooed, kneeling down and hugging him close. " ** _Welcome home._** "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Viva la Revolution!


	35. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a new day!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Varian awoke the next morning and blinked blearily at the sounds of shifting rocks. He watched as the rocks curled around him uncurled and then slowly sat up, looking around. He didn't recognize this bedroom, but he got the feeling that it was _made_ for him. Everything was made of black rocks, some blue like the ones making his surprisingly-soft blanket. He moved the blanket to the side and frowned down at himself, seeing his clothes had been changed. His rather relaxed outfit had been changed into a black tunic with a blue belt, black leggings, blue gloves that reached his elbows and knee-high boots. There was also a white cape wrapped around his shoulders, with the Brotherhood symbol on a black clasp connecting them together. He reached up and noticed his goggles had been replaced by a _tiara_ , of all things, though he didn't know the color yet. Also, his hair was perpetually blue and white now.  
  
" _Sun_ , I hope this isn't _permanent_." He groaned, climbing out of bed. Ruddiger stirred and curled up, yawned, and climbed up onto his shoulders. "Well, let's go see if we can leave this room, huh, Ruddi?" He stepped down and walked over to the door, cringing at the way his new heels clicked on the floor. _That_ was going to be annoying. "Come on, _seriously_?" He muttered. "Why couldn't you have just left my clothes _alone_?"  
  
He sighed and pushed open the doors, finding with relief that they opened without trouble, and walked out into the hall of huge statues. He looked behind him and realized his obnoxious cape was trailing behind him a few feet, and also that it had the black brotherhood symbol repeating along the bottom and had a pattern similar to the black rocks all stacked together, only it was white.  
  
  
  
"Oh, come on." He muttered, looking forward. "Uhh... _which_ way to the dining room again?" He was feeling kind of hungry, what time was it? Maybe it was time for breakfast. He hoped so, at least.  
  
"Varian, you're awake!" Eugene ran over to him, then stopped and laughed a bit.  
  
"What?" He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Nothing, nothing!" He snickered.  
  
"Whaaaaat?" Varian put his hands on his hips.  
  
"Okay, okay. You look like you took fashion advice from the Queen of Arendelle!" Eugene bust up laughing.  
  
"Hey, _I_ didn't _pick_ this!" Varian argued. "The _Moonstone_ did!"  
  
Eugene just laughed harder. Varian glared at him before his expression softened a bit. "Yeah, okay." He sighed. "I guess it _does_ look like I got fashion advice from Queen Elsa of Arendelle." He rolled his eyes.  
  
Eugene nodded, snickering now. "It looks _great_ , though! Magical clothing _suits_ you!"  
  
"Oh, bite your tongue. Is it time for breakfast yet? I'm hungry." Varian sighed heavily.  
  
"Yeah, come on. I was on my way to see if I could wake you up." Eugene chuckled.  
  
"As soon as I figure out how to manipulate the rocks, this stupid outfit is going. Or at least this dumb _cape_." Varian huffed, which only made Eugene burst into a fit of laughter again.  
  
\--  
  
"Varian!" Rapunzel got up from her seat and ran over to hug him, then blinked and looked at his clothes. "Uhm--"  
  
"I know, I know, I look ridiculous." Varian waved it off. "The whole 'magical makeover' is freaking _me_ out, too."  
  
"Well...it looks good!" Rapunzel giggled. "I've just never had to _deal_ with something like this!"  
  
"Yeah, well, _your_ magic thing isn't sentient and apparently taking _fashion advice_ from _Queen Elsa of Arendelle_." Varian rolled his eyes and Rapunzel giggled. "What's with this _cape_?!"  
  
Of course, that sent Cassandra and Lance into fits of laughter and Varian huffed and walked over to the chair Hector pulled out for him. "Thanks, Uncle Hector."  
  
Adira looked him up and down and then looked back at her food, clearly holding herself back from saying something about it.  
  
"Did you sleep well?" King Edmund asked pleasantly.  
  
"Yeah, thanks." Varian nodded. "So, what'd I miss?"  
  
Rapunzel sat back down with Eugene sitting next to her. "Well, uhm..." she cleared her throat, "I made a _very_ big decision while you were asleep."  
  
"What, did you finally agree to his proposal?" Varian asked jokingly.  
  
"Well, uh, no, not yet." Rapunzel laughed awkwardly. "I'm going to start a revolution in Corona."  
  
Varian paused and looked up at her. "...Princess, that is _way_ more treason than stealing the withered Sundrop Flower."  
  
"I know, I know." She nodded. "But, we all talked about it and we decided that my father _cannot_ remain on the throne after all that he has done since... _since my birth_. But, if I just try to _confront_ him, he'll lock me away and go after you! So, we're going to work with the people and turn them against him, throw him off the throne by the will of the people."  
  
"And put Rapunzel on the throne, Long Live Queen Rapunzel!" Lance cheered, raising his glass.  
  
"Long Live Queen Rapunzel!" Cassandra and Eugene raised their glasses.  
  
Shorty mumbled something into his drink that sounded like a vague slurred attempt to copy them.  
  
"We've already started working with the Saporians and Lady Caine's group. I considered talking to Trevor, but...I don't want him to actually bring his troops in. It might be a good place for you and your father to live, though, so you're safe!"  
  
"I'm not _running_." Varian said firmly. "If _you're_ going to be in Corona, so will I. I'm _not afraid_ of him anymore and I'm _joining_ this revolution." He grinned. "Besides, you might _need_ the services of a skilled alchemist and, while the Saporians are _great_ , Andrew said that I'm the greatest he's seen since Demanitus. Even _Demanitus_ was impressed!  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "Okay, then. Speaking of Andrew, he's going to be sending an airship as soon as we're ready to head back. We'll pick up the caravan, bearcats and Callan on the way. I mean, that is, if you _want_ to come back with us, Hector?"  
  
"Is that even a _question_ , Princess?" He raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to be with my family."  
  
"And I have had _enough_ of this castle for some time. I will be going with you as well." King Edmund nodded.  
  
"Oh...great." Eugene muttered.  
  
Varian poked at his food. "Can I ask a weird question?"  
  
"Go ahead." Rapunzel smiled.  
  
"What color is this circlet-tiara- _whatever_ it is on my head? I can't see it." Varian tapped it.  
  
"Oh! It's white, like your cape." Rapunzel assured him.  
  
"Figures." He went back to his food.  
  
"Speaking of the cape, maybe we could go visit the Queen of Arendelle sometime!" Rapunzel giggled.  
  
"Sure, sometime. Maybe after the revolution." Varian nodded.  
  
"Right!" Rapunzel nodded. "So, uhm, whenever you feel ready, we can contact Andrew and they'll send over the airship."  
  
"I'm ready anytime." Varian assured her. "Uhm, where's my bag?"  
  
"I got it." Lance assured him. "You left it in the dining room, don't worry."  
  
"Good." Varian nodded. "I was worried it got changed into this cape."  
  
"More likely your vest." Eugene snickered.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, _Your Highness_." Varian rolled his eyes.  
  
Rapunzel gasped as Eugene stopped short. "That's right! We need to celebrate you meeting your dad! Oh, I bet _you_ have a crown, too!"  
  
"He does!" King Edmund confirmed with a smile.  
  
Maximus and Fidella came over to the table and Adira got up to feed them apples. Maximus paused and looked at Varian with a raised eyebrow before he went back to his food.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Varian rolled his eyes. "'Magical makeover'."  
  
Maximus knickered appreciatively as he continued to eat.  
  
\--  
  
Varian pulled the mirror out of his bag and sighed, mentally preparing himself for more commentary on his appearance. Then he tapped the surface twice and said, "Andrew."  
  
The mirror glowed and Andrew's image appeared in it. "Hey, look who's up! The hair's new."  
  
"Yeah, I don't know how to shut off the glowing." Varian sighed. "I'm sure it'll come to me, _Rapunzel_ isn't always glowing. Anyways, yeah, I'm awake, I'm okay. Got some new clothes, everyone thinks they're _hilarious_ , but otherwise I haven't changed too much."  
  
"How do you feel?" Andrew asked.  
  
"I feel..." he smiled softly, "complete. Like...like I've been an incomplete puzzle for my _whole life_ and all the pieces came together and now I can see the full picture. There's so much _power_ running through my veins, and I feel...amazing."  
  
"Good to hear. Do you need the airship sent over?" Andrew chuckled.  
  
"Yes, please." Varian smiled. "Will you be on it?"  
  
"I will." Andrew promised. "Me and Lady Caine both."  
  
Varian grinned. "Awesome. How long will you be?"  
  
"To get from here to the Dark Kingdom will probably take a day. That alright?"  
  
Varian nodded. "Yeah, we can hang out here another day."  
  
"Great. I'll tell everyone we can set off, then. See you tomorrow." Andrew smiled warmly. "I'm proud of you, kid. You faced the odds and you reached your goal."  
  
"Not yet." Varian shook his head. "My dad's not free yet. But...soon. I just know that he'll be free soon."  
  
"I can't wait to meet him. See you tomorrow, buddy." He cut off contact and Varian sighed before he put the mirror back into his bag.  
  
"So?" Eugene asked.  
  
"It'll be a day, but the airship's on the way." Varian assured them.  
  
"Perfect, we have time to get to know each other!" King Edmund said cheerfully. "Oh, I should go get your crown!" He ran out of the room.  
  
"I didn't say I wanted it!" Eugene called after him, but he was already gone.  
  
"Aw, but _I_ want to see you wear it." Rapunzel said, kissing him. "Come on."  
  
Eugene sighed. "Alright, but just for you, Sunshine."  
  
"I reserve the right to laugh if it looks ridiculous." Varian said, walking over to them.  
  
"That's fair." Eugene smirked.  
  
"Seriously, stop smirking before I punch you with my glamorous new gloves." Varian threatened, but he grinned at the end of it and Eugene was falling into a fit of laughter.  
  
Cassandra walked over to him. "So, uh, what are these made of, anyway?" She asked.  
  
"The black rocks, but they're so finely crushed together that it feels as soft as sand." Varian said, holding out his arm for her to feel it. "You should feel my blanket, it's amazingly comfortable."  
  
"Are you asking her into your bedroom?" Eugene teased while Lance let out a scandalized gasp.  
  
Varian looked annoyed. "Alternately, if you don't think that's a good idea, my cape feels just as comfortable."  
  
Cassandra chuckled and gripped the cape. "It _does_ feel soft. Wow."  
  
King Edmund came back out carrying a crown in his hand and a cape draped over his arm. He put both on Eugene while he was facing away from him, startling him, and then stood back proudly.  
  
The cape was dark purple and black and long and, like Varian's, had a Brotherhood clasp. The crown was black with purple jewels like Edmund, only it was more like a circlet or tiara than a crown.  
  
Varian raised an eyebrow and then snickered. "Hey, look, we _match_."  
  
Eugene sputtered and looked at himself. "No one said anything about a _cape_! And why isn't it furred like yours?!" He looked at King Edmund.  
  
"This is my battle cape!" King Edmund explained. "Besides, this cape is one that your mother made for you when you were still in the womb." He smiled fondly.  
  
"My...mother?" Eugene looked at it. "...I guess it's not so bad, then."  
  
"Yeah, speaking of _mothers_ , I would have preferred my goggles _not_ be transformed." Varian grumbled.  
  
"It's okay, Varian, I'm sure your goggles are perfectly fine under all the magic." Rapunzel assured him.  
  
"Yeah, well, I'll have words with the Moon later." Varian waved it off.  
  
"Well, uhm, since you have a day, why don't I show you around the place?" King Edmund offered. "Also, uhm...Princess Rapunzel, if you wouldn't mind, the Moonstone...damaged a lot of the ground. I wonder if you might be willing to--"  
  
"To heal it?" Rapunzel smiled. "Of course!"  
  
Varian smiled. "You can heal now?"  
  
"Mmhm!" Rapunzel nodded. "I tested it out yesterday after you went to sleep, then healed Adira."  
  
"That's great!" Varian grinned and hugged her, then gasped and stood back. "But if your father finds out, he's going to freak."  
  
"So, he won't find out." She shrugged. "As far as he'll know, it's just the same as before."  
  
"Just don't go using it as a shield again." Cassandra reminded her.  
  
"We haven't actually tested that yet." Rapunzel admitted. "And...I'm kind of _afraid_ to. Being blonde has been part of my identity since...since I was born. It doesn't feel _right_ to go back to brown."  
  
"It's _your_ choice, Sunshine." Eugene smiled. "I only cut it in the _first place_ to free you from Gothel."  
  
"Well, I'm going to leave it long for now." She nodded.  
  
"At least it's not _glowing_." Varian flicked his own hair.  
  
Rapunzel giggled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney
> 
> ((A/N: Elsa will not actually show up in this fic.))


	36. Restoration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dark Kingdom is healed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Rapunzel went outside and stood in the wasteland. "You know, this kind of reminds me of the wasteland outside Corona in that dream." She said to Varian, who was next to her.  
  
"Are you sure you can fix this?" Varian asked.  
  
"I don't know until I try." She let down her hair.  
  
He reached out and took her hand. "Maybe I can help you. We'll say the incantation together. you could use the moon's magic when linked with it. Maybe I can help you use the Sun's if I hold your hand."  
  
"Maybe." She smiled, squeezing his hand in hers. "Okay...ready?"  
  
He nodded, and then they started to sing in unison, waves of energy coming out of their bodies and spreading out over the land. " _Flower, gleam and glow. LEt your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the Fates' design. Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine. What once was mine._ "  
  
The waves of energy coming out of their bodies merged together, yellow and blue, and their bodies were glowing with waves whipping around them as they lifted into the air together, repeating the song again and again as the waves grew more intense, their bodies glowing brighter and brighter until they were only a blue and yellow light side by side. They turned to each other and held hands and the colors started to swirl together, a marvel for anyone that saw it.  
  
Then a burst of energy was sent out and the Dark Kingdom became fertile and full of life again. They hovered in the air a bit longer, then started to fall, both of them unconscious.  
  
"Whoa!" Eugene ran over with Adira and they caught each of them.  
  
"They okay?!" Cassandra ran over to them with Lance and Hector.  
  
Eugene checked on Rapunzel, then on Varian. "They're breathing." He assured her. "I think they just passed out." He gently kissed Rapunzel's forehead. "Come on, Blondie." He cooed. "Wake up for me."  
  
"Mm...nn..." She slowly opened her eyes and smiled up at him. "Hi."  
  
"You have _got_ to stop giving me these scares." Eugene said, holding her closer.  
  
Adira gently shook Varian and he moaned softly before he opened his eyes. "Mm...?"  
  
"Morning, sleepy." Cassandra grinned at him. "You're still holding the Princess's hand, you notice that?"  
  
"O-Oh." He let go, and Rapunzel did the same before they looked around. "Whoa..."  
  
"That was amazing." Eugene told them. "I guess _that_ was the 'ultimate power' that happens when the two reunite."  
  
"'In the right hands, it can be used for good. In the wrong hands, it could be inconceivably deadly'." Varian quoted, then looked at Rapunzel. "We can't let the Disciples get our power, not even a little, not again."  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "Well...I don't know about you, but I'm _really hungry_ after all that. Let's go get some food!"  
  
Eugene helped her up and Cassandra offered Varian a hand up. Once he was up, Adira stood up and then they all headed in.  
  
"Seriously, that was amazing. I'll try to describe it, but I don't know if I'd do it justice. Maybe I can attempt to draw it? Oh, but I'm not so good at drawing." Lance said as they walked in.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Rapunzel asked Varian.  
  
"Drained." He rubbed at his head. "Tired. Gonna probably get some food then go lie down again."  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "That's probably a good idea, I'll do that, too."  
  
\--  
  
King Edmund got up from his throne as they came in. "Did you...did it work?" He asked hopefully.  
  
"Yes, and it was _spectacular_!" Lance said excitedly. "Oh, you should've seen it! They were all like _woosh_ and then _whooooosh_ and then _whoooooooo!_ " He dramatically gestured.  
  
"That literally tells us _nothing_." Cassandra said, looking at him.  
  
"I'll give you a proper report in a bit." Adira said calmly. "Right now, they're hungry, so we're going to make sure they have food."  
  
"Oh yes, of course!" King Edmund nodded. "I'm sure they're exhausted, too!"  
  
"Very." Varian confirmed.  
  
"But, it's a _good_ kind of tired. Like...the 'I feel accomplished, but now I'm ready to sleep for twelve hours' kind of tired." Rapunzel added.  
  
"It was worth it, though." Varian smiled softly. "It's _beautiful_ out there now."  
  
"Definitely." Rapunzel sighed, then gasped. "Let's have a picnic!"  
  
Eugene smiled. "Sounds great."  
  
\--  
  
As Rapunzel suggested, they prepared food and brought it outside to eat in the freshly-restored grassy landscape. The black rocks had also all disappeared, and Callan was coming down to join them eagerly, practically running Hector over in his excitement. He laughed and wrestled with him, to which Ruddiger said "no thank you" to and left Hector's shoulders, going to the safety of Varian's lap for food and pets.  
  
"I can't believe this was all wasteland only a half-hour ago." Eugene said as he sat next to Rapunzel.  
  
"Magic is...pretty incredible." Cassandra said, nothing as she sat next to Varian.  
  
"Mmhm." Varian stroked Ruddiger's fur absently before he leaned his head on Cassandra's shoulder, his eyelids drooping closed.  
  
"Aaaand he's gone." Eugene chuckled, then looked at Rapunzel, who was dozing off on his shoulder. "Her too, apparently."  
  
"It's a nice day, and we can finally relax after our long trip. This may be the _last_ time we relax like this for...a while." Cassandra shifted Varian off her shoulder and let him rest his head on her lap. Eugene did the same with Rapunzel. "We've got our work cut out for us back home."  
  
"It's gotta get done, though." Eugene nodded. "I was _so_ focused on trying to be the 'perfect son-in-law', I didn't stop to think that maybe _he_ wasn't the perfect _dad_." He looked at Varian with a grim expression. "Or King."  
  
"Hey, I understand you." Cassandra sighed. "I wanted so _badly_ to impress the Royal Family and my father and be in the Royal Guard, I didn't stop to ask myself why there were so many orphans from petty crimes that _should've_ given them a few days in prison at the most."  
  
"Or why people were being _executed_ so often." Eugene shuddered. "It was like being in _France_."  
  
Lance shuddered. "Delicious food, horrible company."  
  
Cassandra looked down at Varian glumly. "We should've listened to Lady Caine when she attacked during the coronation...Maybe then, Varian might not've suffered."  
  
"We can spend time grieving all our past mistakes, or can work towards the future." Eugene said firmly. "Me, I'm working for a better future."  
  
Cassandra nodded. "Me too." She sighed. "I wonder, if the King knew who I was, would he have let me live?"  
  
Eugene shrugged. "I mean, you were five and in shock. You didn't even _remember_ your mother until recently."  
  
"You're right." Cassandra sighed. "Still, Varian was the son of his _friend_ , and he _hurt_ him. I just...how could he?"  
  
"You said so yourself, he's not of sound mind and he hasn't been since Rapunzel was born. Maybe even _before_ that." Eugene said grimly.  
  
Lance sighed and looked up at the sky. "Do you think the revolution will succeed?"  
  
"That's not even a question. It _has_ to, Lance." Eugene said firmly. " _It has to_."   
  
\--  
  
The next day, they all gathered outside as a large airship lowered down into the field. "You know," Andrew's voice said as a ramp lowered to the ground, "I could have _sworn_ I was coming to the Dark Kingdom, but this place looks pretty lively!"  
  
"Andrew!" Varian ran forward as he came down the ramp and threw himself into his arms when he reached the bottom.  
  
"Oof!" Andrew laughed. "Aw, look at that big smile! You missed me that much?"  
  
"Andrew, we healed the land! Rapunzel and I, we healed it!" Varian said excitedly. "I didn't want to tell you until you saw it, do you like the surprise?"  
  
"I do." Andrew smiled, then looked over his shoulder as Lady Caine came down the ramp.  
  
"Hope everyone's ready to set off." She said as she reached them. "Because we're only stopping to pick up that caravan."  
  
"We tried to pick it up on the way here, but a couple fierce-looking binturongs were guarding it." Andrew grinned.

Rapunzel stepped forward. "Andrew, Lady Caine, thank you very much for your help, and for coming to get us."  
  
"We're on the same side now, Princess." Lady Caine smiled. "No need for formalities. Let's get you lot back to Corona so you can free his dad, hm?" She rubbed Varian's head, then paused. "What are you _wearing_?"  
  
"The Moonstone picked it!" Varian insisted.  
  
"It's very, uh...well, it's not your style." Lady Caine said bluntly.  
  
"Looks good, though." Andrew chuckled. "She's right, though, it's too fancy. And speaking of _fancy_ , Eugene, what is on your head?"  
  
"A crown." Eugene sighed. "Dad _insisted_ I wear it and Rapunzel backed him up. I draw the line on the cape, though!"  
  
"We packed it anyway." Cassandra said, smirking at him.  
  
"Hey, how come _you_ don't have one if you're a prince?" Eugene asked.  
  
"One, only idiots walk around wearing their crowns all day unless they're crowned King. They're mostly for show and ceremony. Two, I refuse to take any form of throne until Saporia stands again."   
  
"We'll work on _that_ , too." Rapunzel nodded. "I don't know the details, but if you say that my forefathers lied to us about what happened back then, I believe you."  
  
"Oh, trust me, we can fill you in on _all_ the details on the way back." An unfamiliar voice said as dark-skinned girl in orange and red came down the ramp. Actually, Rapunzel _had_ heard her voice before!  
  
"Princess...Juniper?" She guessed.  
  
"That's me." She grinned. "You remembered."  
  
"It's nice to meet you in person." She held out a hand, then gasped as her hand was grabbed and she was pulled into a crushing bearhug. "O-Oh, you do bearhugs?! Me too!"  
  
"Oh yeah?" Juniper grinned and switched into a chokehold.   
  
Rapunzel squirmed and managed to get free, then hugged her back. "It's SO nice to meet you!"  
  
Juniper got free and playfully bodyslammed her. "Me too! You're WAY nicer than I thought you'd be!"  
  
"I can already tell," Rapunzel said, tripping Juniper, "we're going to be GREAT friends!"  
  
Andrew watched them with an exasperated expression and turned away, shaking his head. "Right, uhm..." He walked up to King Edmund. "King Edmund, I presume? I hear you're riding back with us."  
  
"Yeah, I believe I can best assist if I go with you." King Edmund nodded, holding out his hand. Andrew shook it. "I am told that you did what you could to protect young Varian in prison, even made a Deal with a Disciple of Zhan Tiri. You have my gratitude, he is like a nephew to me." He sighed. "I only wish I'd known about him _sooner_."  
  
Adira and Hector nodded in agreement.  
  
"Alright, alright, no more wrestling!" Cassandra walked over to Rapunzel and Juniper. "Seriously, your getting your hair dirty."  
  
"Juniper, this is Cassandra, my best friend, bodyguard, and lady-in-waiting." Rapunzel introduced.  
  
"Ah, and _also_ my brother's _ex!_ " Juniper smirked. "I've heard of you!"  
  
"OKAY, time to go!" Andrew walked over and grabbed Varian around the waist to pick him up and carry him up the ramp.  
  
"Aww, but I was enjoying the show." Varian said teasingly.  
  
"Seriously, we've got a _two-day_ ride to Corona. Let's not get hostile at the start." Andrew called back as everyone else followed them up the ramp.  
  
"Hostile?" Rapunzel asked as she headed up.  
  
"Juni, come on." Andrew prompted.  
  
Juniper grinned at Cassandra. "We'll talk later." She headed up the ramp.  
  
"...Oh. ' _Hostile_ '." Cassandra said, then followed Rapunzel up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Off to Corona!
> 
> ((A/N: End of season 2, season 3 will start in 2 weeks, on the 27th of December.)


	37. A/N: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Season's Greetings, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and, for these guys, Happy Yuletide!   
I've left my readers some presents back in chapter 3, "Scars" and chapter 35, "Awakening"!   
We'll be going back to Corona next week, hope everyone is having a good Holiday! :D  
  
~ Zone


	38. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While on the way to Corona, plans are made and Cassandra tries to focus on training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney
> 
> ((A/N: And we're back! We're starting season 3 now! Also, I lost the source file for "Destined Couple" too, so it's a good thing that one is completely up-to-date on AO3 because...yeesh. Got a new external harddrive, though, so no more tech issues, yay! Also, I totally intended to start this sooner but I got the Nintendo Switch for Christmas and I was setting up an island and waking up a 100-year-sleeping hero today. ^_^;; But, I'm ready to (mostly) focus on writing again! also, if anyone has any requests for what I should illustrate, just let me know! I got some interesting reactions to your Christmas presents, lmao))

The airship lifted into the air and they started on the flight towards Corona. Everyone was assigned a room below deck for the trip and everyone was introduced to each other. Eugene couldn't help but notice that everyone that was on the prison barge was here so they must've all stuck together instead of seperating, which was...interesting, but he wouldn't say anything.  
  
Of course, the criminals had things to say about Varian's "magical makeover", but it was all compliments and praise for his achievement, with only one or two joking about if the cape worked like a tail and if it would hurt to step on it. They were also eager to get to know Varian's family, and thought it was hilarious how Eugene and Varian were technically cousins and Eugene was a _prince_ , whaaaaaaat?  
  
But, that was a few hours ago. Now they were milling about on the ship, Varian hanging around Lady Caine or Andrew when he wasn't with his aunt and uncles. Rapunzel was standing at the railing, looking apprehensive, and Eugene walked over and stood at her side. "You doing okay, Sunshine?"  
  
"No." She admitted honestly. "How can I fight my father?"  
  
"You fought Gothel, and _she_ raised you." Eugene reminded her.  
  
Rapunzel nodded, then looked over at Cassandra, who was practicing her sword strokes. "I did, yes...but, I was only able to because I realized she wasn't my real mother. How can I fight my real father? How can _Cassandra_ fight _the Captain_?"  
  
Eugene sighed. "Well, with any luck, the revolution will make Frederic step down and we won't _have_ to fight him."  
  
\--  
  
"Your form is sloppy." Cassandra jolted and turned to see Adira standing behind her. "You are distracted."  
  
Cassandra glanced away. "...Yes."  
  
"Do you feel uncertain of your ability to protect them?" Adira asked calmly.  
  
"'Them'?" Cassandra looked surprised.  
  
"I have observed you together. You want to protect my nephew as much as you want to protect the Sundrop." Adira drew her sword and walked in front of her. "But you are uncertain on if you will be able to fight your King _and_ your father. You are unsure of your ability, your resolve, to protect them. And you know that if you make a mistake, it could lead to your Princess being captured and Varian being killed or locked away again."  
  
Cassandra closed her eyes. "I've been training to be the Royal Guard, but I was always told I wasn't ready. Throughout this trip, I have been bested by you time and time again and struggled against others. I don't think I have enough skill with the sword to be a knight." She admitted glumly. "I was born as the daughter of a witch and raised as a maid and begging for fighting lessons. How can I protect them?"  
  
Adira walked up to Cassandra, sheathing her sword. "I was not born in the Dark Kingdom. I was thirteen years old when my people's caravan was attacked by bandits. My parents were killed, and _I_ was taken to be..." She shuddered. "Hector, Prince Edmund and Quirin saved me that day. I spent every day after training as hard as possible to be worthy of the Brotherhood, to properly thank them for saving me that day. I was beaten down many times, but I kept getting back up. Several times, Quirin told me I didn't _have_ to do this. But I said I _wanted_ to, no matter if I had been raised in it or not. I _wanted_ to protect the Moonstone, to be a warrior. So, I kept training, and I didn't take 'no' for an answer. _You_ started learning to fight sooner than _I_ did, but you've been listening to your father tell you 'no'. So, let me ask you something. If your father tells you to stand down and bow to the King, will you do it?"  
  
"No!" Cassandra insisted frantically.  
  
"Even if you have to fight every member of the Royal Guard?" She asked.  
  
"I will never stand down, never again!" Cassandra said firmly. "I won't let them hurt the people I care about!"  
  
"Then prove it." Adira stepped back and drew her sword. "Fight me like I'm your father, telling you to stand down and hand over Varian to be tortured again."  
  
Cassandra clenched her hand tightly around her sword.  
  
"Hold up." Juniper walked over to them. "Swap swords." She offered her own. "From what I hear, that black one will destroy hers. That'll be useful for actual fighting, but training shouldn't have such an advantage."  
  
Adira hesitated, then nodded and handed over the black sword, accepting the normal one and turning to Cassandra again.  
  
"Just because you weren't born a warrior, it doesn't mean warrior's blood doesn't still flow in your veins." Adira told Cassandra. "If I can be this awesome, so can you."  
  
Juniper stepped back. "Begin!"  
  
They moved forward, blades clashing before they moved back and carefully moved around each other, dodging, slashing, clashing blades, coming close to drawing blood many times. People around the deck gathered around them, forming a circle, cheering them on. Cassandra ignored all of it, her focus solely on Adira. No, on the image of her father. The last time she'd trained against him was a hallucination on a magical island, and then before that was...too long ago.  
  
She couldn't imagine it. Even having seen him in that outfit with the mask removed herself, knowing now that Varian had been terrorized by the Royal Guard for _weeks_ , she couldn't imagine her father as the type to attack a child _unprovoked._ Yes, he apparently made this "less terrible", but he still attacked him, followed the King's order and terrorized a helpless child into being afraid to leave his own home, to fall so deep into despair that he thought the only way out was to attack.  
  
There _had_ to be more to the story. There _had_ to be. Yes, he did the house arrest part, but did he even know about the torture? And he wasn't there all those weeks, because he was in the Capital for a lot of the time! But, that meant that the only person that showed Varian any mercy kept leaving.  
  
She gasped as a blade nicked her cheek and she was brought back to reality, to the battle. Adira sighed and lowered her blade, shaking her head. "You're not ready yet. you need time to get through this. I suggest you meditate. That's what I do when I get doubts." She walked off, trading swords with Juniper again.  
  
Cassandra sighed and walked off, fighting back the urge to cry. She went below deck and into her room, which was right next to Rapunzel's, and fell face-first onto her bed.  
  
"Knock-knock?"  
  
She tensed and looked up. "...Hector?"  
  
"Hey." He waved awkwardly. "Mind if I come in? I can go, if not. I just...you seemed upset, and I...you know, I get it. Fighting family is painful. For all my bravado, I...didn't ever want to kill Adira, much less hurt her. I mean, if you don't wanna talk--"  
  
"You can come in." Cassandra said, sitting up and wiping at her eyes.  
  
Hector sighed and stepped in, closing the door. "My dad was part of the Brotherhood. So was Quirin's mom, and the previous King, of course. We had been worshipping and protecting the Moonstone even before we got fully inducted into the Brotherhood, and the very idea of _betraying_ her was...well, when King Edmund decided to _destroy_ it, Quirin was _very_ quick to try to stop him, to try to talk him out of it. He didn't listen, obviously, and you know what happened next. Adira, the Outsider, decided to try to go with the King's plan to destroy it by finding the Sundrop. Quirin went on his secret mission to, apparently, _have a magical baby with someone_ , and the King and myself stayed near the Moonstone to protect it. I don't know _any_ other life." He walked over and stood by the bed. "Can I sit?"  
  
Cassandra nodded.  
  
Hector sat down with a sigh. "I never had any _other_ kind of training. From the moment I was born, it was all Brotherhood training. I didn't have _any_ friends that weren't in the Brotherhood, and I _never_ had a lover. The thought of _ever_ trying to be something besides the Moonstone's protector never even _occurred_ to me." He sighed and leaned back on his hands. "Adira and I flirted sometimes, and we both played at being lovers with Quirin, but it never went anywhere. It was...you know, for fun. Nothing serious. Never went anywhere. My first, er, _only_ time, uhm...with _anyone_ was...oh, a few years after the...you know, whole thing. After Adira left. I was upset, I was... _lonely_. This... _woman_ came to the Great Tree, said she wanted to see the scrolls. I figured, whatever, as long as she didn't go beyond the tree. She showed _no_ interest in the Moonstone _at all_ , aside from translating one of the spells."  
  
"Wait, she _what_?" Cassandra's jaw dropped.  
  
"Anyways, we were just kind of hanging out, I guess, and we decided to go for it. Just, you know, for fun. Nothing serious. Then she had to go and left and I never saw her again. Went back to my life of protecting the Dark Kingdom."  
  
He cleared his throat. "I got a bit, uh, what's that word Varian used? 'Rambly'. My point is, I _get_ it. You've been raised to serve the King and it's hard to break that, uh, _conditioning_. And fighting _family_ is even harder." He nodded. "But, you gotta do what has to get done. You take that conditioning and you...toss it aside, because you _are_ more than just a...a _knight_. You may be the daughter of a witch and _raised_ by the Captain of the Guard, but you're also the Sundrop's friend, and I think Varian thinks you're his friend, too. And, seriously, maybe you should do what _I_ didn't and try actually being, you know, _in love_. I've lived forty years and I gave up _so_ many opportunities for the sake of loyalty to my King and the Moonstone."  
  
"All I've ever _known_ is to serve the King." Cassandra said softly. "To serve the Royal Family."  
  
"Well, if you can't shake the conditioning, focus on the fact that you're serving your Princess. And if you don't _protect_ her, well..." he sighed, "I don't know this...'Frederic' guy, but he sounds like a _real_ piece of work. Frankly, from what I've heard of him, I'm surprised this whole 'revolution' thing hasn't happened sooner. But, I could be biased." He grinned awkwardly, then stood up. "Anyways, uh, take time, reflect, meditate, and mentally prepare yourself for something painful that has to be done." He headed for the door.  
  
"Wait." Cassandra stood up. "That woman you were with...was her name 'Gothel'?"  
  
He looked back at her. "...Uh...I don't actually _know_. She didn't say her name." He admitted. "Honestly, I don't know _why_ I trusted her to be in the tree, or even how she got there without me catching her on the way." He shrugged and opened the door. "Anyways, good luck with that whole...existential crisis thing." He walked out. "Good talk." He shut the door and walked away.  
  
Cassandra stared after him, her jaw dropped. "...It _had_ to have been her, _she_ was that one that translated those spells..."  
  
She fell back onto her pillow, staring at the ceiling. "...Is _Hector_ my _real dad_?" She breathed, her eyes wide with shock.  
  
\--  
  
Varian leaned on the railing looking over the deck quietly as Lady Caine and Andrew steered the wheel. Well, Lady Caine was steering and Andrew had his arms around her waist and kept on kissing her cheek. "Can you guys not do that?" He looked at them. "I'm gonna go find my family if you don't stop the flirting."  
  
Lady Caine laughed. "Aww, haven't gotten used to it while with the Princess and her beau?"  
  
Varian made a face and looked over at Rapunzel and Eugene. "More like had _enough_ of it." He stood up and walked over to the stairs to head down to the deck.   
  
To be honest, he was kind of scared. Even though he was surrounded by friends and family, he was still afraid of being taken by the Royal Guard and...locked away again. Like Rapunzel would change her mind. Even though he knew she wouldn't, he was still afraid to trust her promises completely. Even time he tried to, he couldn't help but be pulled back to that raging blizzard, where a young fourteen year old boy had begged for help that had been promised to him over and over and then was tossed into the snow by heartless guards. That she swore they were friends, but she never checked up on him, didn't go back to look for him, _left him alone_. If she had saved him that day, he wouldn't be scarred now. He might've taken a different course of action. He only attacked her mother because Rapunzel had...pretended he didn't exist.  
  
And, yes, she'd apologized. Many times, over and over, she'd apologized, sworn to be better. But he still found it hard to fully trust her words.  
  
He sighed and stood at the railing, watching as they flew over the Great Tree, and became aware of a shadow over him as the large and imposing King Edmund stood behind him. He moved to the side and then stood next to him and Varian looked at him quietly.  
  
"You know..." King Edmund mused, "your mother must've been _tiny_. Your father and his parents were, well, you know how big he is."  
  
Varian chuckled a bit. "Yeah...I guess she was."  
  
"Are you nervous?" He looked at him. "Because, gonna be honest, _I_ am. I haven't seen Quirin in, uh, two decades, give or take a few years. And the last time he saw me, I was...well, angry. Bitter."  
  
"The last thing I said to my father was 'I'll go get help'." Varian chuckled softly. "Before that it was 'I deserve to know'. 'Deserve'. Why did I think _that_? I felt so high-and-mighty because the Princess trusted me to study the rocks, and I thought that that entitled me to...to being told _everything_ about them. All I needed to know was that they were dangerous and couldn't be destroyed."  
  
"Well, you're not the _only_ one." King Edmund chuckled. "I'm sure your defiance reminded him of when he had to pull me away from the Moonstone. And...well..." he sighed and shifted his cloak to reveal one of his arms was missing, "defiance...comes with consequences."  
  
Varian nodded, then looked forward. "But, heh, isn't this revolution a defiance?"  
  
"It's fixing a problem long overdue. And _he's_ not magical." King Edmund smirked.  
  
"Yeah." Varian held out one of his magically-gloved hands, looking at the fine rocks catching the sun's light. " _He's_ not. I'm going to make him _regret_ sending me on the prison barge and letting me out of his sight."  
  
King Edmund smiled softly and placed his remaining arm around Varian's shoulders. "I'm sure he already does. I'm sure he's losing sleep, cursing himself for his mistake." He looked at him. "His mistake, my miracle. To think that Quirin has a son as brilliant and powerful as you, even before you accepted the Moonstone into your body."  
  
Varian blushed. "You're flattering me now. Did you see my bedroom?" He rolled his eyes.  
  
"The chamber adjusted. The Moonstone provides." King Edmund nodded, gently squeezing his shoulder.  
  
"Yeah." Varian nodded. "And the Moonstone _punishes_ those who threaten it."  
  
"And the Brotherhood will fight for it as we always have, and we will _protect our family_." King Edmund released his shoulder and stepped away, walking over to talk to Eugene.  
  
Varian looked over at them with a soft smile. "Family."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Corona messed with the wroooong family.


	39. Seer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra has a question that she needs an answer to. Andrew knows a guy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Rapunzel noticed that Cassandra had been below deck for a while and decided to check on her when she still wasn't out of her room for lunch. She headed that way and paused when she saw Varian in the hallway. "Uhm, hey."  
  
He nodded. "Hey. you going to check on Cassandra, too?"  
  
"Yeah." She nodded. "Why don't we go together?"  
  
He nodded and they walked together. "So...you'll be seeing your dad again in a couple days. How do you feel?"  
  
"Nervous." He admitted. "But, I'm sure it's nothing compared to what _you're_ feeling, I doubt that I'll have to _fight_ my dad."  
  
"I don't know how I'm going to be able to even _look_ at him without thinking of those scars, much less act like everything is fine." She sighed. "At least long enough to investigate this 'High-Security' place and talk to my mother without my father watching me like a hawk."  
  
"I can draw you a map, so you can find it. You might have to drug the guards to get to it." He grinned. "I suggest cookies or cupcakes."  
  
"What if I gave my dad a truth serum?" She asked.  
  
"No way. You can find medicinal plants that make you sleepy, but if you used the truth serum, he'd know right away you're affiliated with me." Varian shook his head. "And we don't want to blow our cover."  
  
"Assuming Lucas hasn't told him already." Rapunzel frowned.  
  
"That's true." Varian sighed. "We haven't seen him since the creepy inn." He shuddered. "Can you _believe_ he posed as my _dad_? And because he messed with my memory, I couldn't remember who he _was_!"  
  
She sighed. "Well, can _you_ believe Matthews posed as _Eugene_? I actually _kissed_ that guy." She shuddered.  
  
"Oh, gross!" Varian cringed. "Yeah, you _did_!"  
  
They stopped outside of Cassandra's room and Varian knocked on the door before Rapunzel opened it up without waiting for an answer. Cassandra was curled up with her head under her pillow and her blanket pulled over her. "Cass? Are you okay?" Rapunzel asked as she walked over to her.  
  
"Yes? No? I don't knooooow." Cassandra admitted.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Varian asked, closing the door.  
  
Cassandra slowly moved the pillow and looked up at them. "Uhm..." She laughed awkwardly. "So, Hector and I were talking and he was saying that all he's known is duty so he gets my hesitation and then he brought up the fact he'd never been with anyone romantically and the one person he was _ever_ with was a woman that came to the Great Tree to see the scrolls and apparently they, uh, had sex at one point and then she left after she translated a couple spells and IthinkHector'smydad!" She blurted out the last part quickly.  
  
"Uhm...what was that?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
Cassandra cleared her throat. "I _think_...Hector might be _my dad_." She said slowly. "I mean, it's possible he's not, I have... _no_ idea how long Gothel lived, she, uh...could've been with a lot of people. But, she was definitely with him, and...you know, he's the...only hint of a dad I've ever had." Cassandra glanced away. "Do you think it's just wishful thinking?"  
  
"I bet the Saporians have a way of determining that." Varian said thoughtfully. "I mean, Andrew's mentioned a Seer. He might be able to tell you."  
  
"No, I...I don't want to bother them." Cassandra got up.  
  
"Well, now _I_ want to know." Varian opened the door and walked out.  
  
"Hey--wait!" Cassandra sputtered, following him out.  
  
"Hector could be Cassandra's _dad_?" Rapunzel gasped. "This would be so _great_ if it's true! Then all my best friends would be related to each other in some way!" She twirled on her feet and followed them out eagerly.  
  
\--  
  
"Varian, get _back_ here!" Cassandra said, running after him, Rapunzel right behind her.  
  
"Whoa, guys, where's the fire?" Eugene asked as they ran into the dining hall.  
  
Varian ran up to Andrew. "Andrew, can you get in contact with that Seer guy?"  
  
"Varian!" Cassandra protested.  
  
"I need him to find out who Cassandra's dad is. Can he do that?" Varian went on.  
  
Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Should be able to, but what's _this_ about?"  
  
"I want to confirm something, a theory." Varian nodded firmly. "If I'm wrong, then we can drop the matter."  
  
Andrew shrugged, pulled out his mirror and headed out of the room.  
  
Lady Caine chuckled. "What's this about, hm?" She rubbed the back of Varian's head affectionately. "Gonna leave us in suspense?"  
  
"It's just a theory." Varian smiled at Cassandra. "I won't say anything until I know for sure."  
  
Andrew came back in. "He can check it out, but we'll have to take a detour. That alright, Rapunzel?" He looked at her.  
  
"Yeah, I wanna know, too!" Rapunzel nodded eagerly.  
  
Cassandra groaned. "I'm regretting telling you..."  
  
Eugene raised an eyebrow.  
  
\--  
  
  
Their detour took them to a tall cliff not too far from Tirapai Island, which couldn't be accessed by land or sea. They docked their airship and Juniper walked over as the ramp as lowered. "I'll go get Kline, no need for anyone else to leave the ship and scare the locals." She smirked at them and headed off.  
  
"What is this place?" Rapunzel asked Andrew.  
  
"Well, it's where we Saporians escaped to after the massacre, after General Shampanier was taken captive by Herz Der Sonne. The Royal Family took anyone they could with them and they fled, and here's where they settled down. We call it the Caves of Saporia, and it's an impenetrable fortress."  
  
"It's not so bad, if you don't mind living in _a mountain_ for generations." Clementine remarked, walking over to them. "We would prefer to have our old lands back, though."  
  
"Once I am Queen, I will see it that that happens." Rapunzel nodded.  
  
Ruddiger hopped up onto the railing next to Varian, who was leaning in it, and stared at the mountain silently before he nuzzled Varian and scampered off. Rapunzel watched him go, blinking. "I'm still floored that he's...you know...not a normal raccoon."  
  
"Yeah, well, I could take him being a transformed human, but who he used to work for? Yeesh." Andrew shuddered. "He seems to be a decent guy, though."  
  
Varian nodded. "I wish he could speak human."  
  
They heard footsteps and looked over to see Juniper had rejoined them with a man. "Alright, let's get this show on the road. Cassandra, this is Kline. He's going to be doing your paternity test."  
  
Cassandra blushed furiously. "So, uh...what do you _need_ for this test?"  
  
"A private room, for starters." Kline said calmly.  
  
"I'll take you to mine." Cassandra walked off.  
  
"And room to draw a magic circle." He went on as he followed her.  
  
"Ohh, I'm so excited! I wonder what they'll find out?" Rapunzel asked eagerly.  
  
"I wanna know why she started wondering about her real dad. Would knowing her real dad make it easier to fight the Captain?" Eugene mused.  
  
"It might." Varian shrugged.  
  
"It's too bad we can't go watch." Rapunzel pouted, then gasped. "Can we?"  
  
"If witnesses were allowed, he'd have done it up here." Andrew shook his head. "You'll find out when they're done."  
  
\--  
  
Cassandra sat on her bed feeling anxious. What if she was wrong? What if her father was someone she'd never met, or _had_ met but already had his own family? What if he was dead? Was this a good idea? Maybe she should stop this, but it was already too far to stop, wasn't it?  
  
"Alright, Cassandra." He offered her a white robe with strange symbols on it. "Change into this, then sit down in the middle of that circle I just drew."  
  
Cassandra accepted the robe. "Uhm...okay." She said nervously, watching as he turned away so she could get changed. "Will this really work?"  
  
"I have done it many times. We Saporians tend to be...well, free-loving, and it's not so easy to determine whose child is whose before we do this spell." Kline explained.  
  
"Okay, I'm done." She walked over, tensing at the breezy feeling between her legs, and sat down in the middle of the circle. "What now?"  
  
"Now, you sit and wait." He started to use chalk to draw on her forehead, cheeks and hands. Then he moved his hand down the middle of her face and continued it down to her body before he reached her stomach and then pulled his hand away, a glowing line left in its place. "There." He stepped back and started to chant. Cassandra gasped as the circle and the markings drawn on her started to glow white and a wind picked up that threatened to lift her skirt up if she wasn't sitting down on it. A blue fog started to rise up and swirl around her, and she gasped softly as she heard distant voices she couldn't name saying words she couldn't hear.  
  
Then she started to see images. Images that she was honesty glad Rapunzel wasn't here to see, and even though she had heard about it, she still felt a bit queasy _watching_ it. Hector, looking _definitely_ enchanted, was lying on a pile of furs with Gothel, both of them bare of any clothing. Gothel was murmuring things to him, and he looked completely out of it, a dazed smile on his face.  
  
Then Cassandra started to hear the voices clearer.  
  
"...didn't work before, and I don't know if it was me or them, but a little bit of magic should improve our chances. Then, once I have the child of a Brotherhood member, perhaps the Moonstone will not be so out of reach, hm?" She stroked his hair, playing with his braid.  
  
"Mm...perhaps..." He murmured, that same dazed smile on his face.  
  
The images faded and then another image appeared of Gothel giving birth. She was alone in a cottage Cassandra recognized from the vison she'd been shown by the strange girl in the shell house, and Cassandra gasped as she heard herself, as a baby, start to wail upon exit.  
  
"Well," Gothel sighed, looking exhausted, "at least you're _healthy_." She used a knife to cut the umbilical cord and then bathed the baby carefully in glowing water, murmuring to herself. An image appeared on baby Cassandra's hand for a moment, the Mark of the Brotherhood, before it faded and Gothel sighed happily and lifted her out of the glowing water. "There, all clean. Let's see...I think I'll call you...Cassandra. True to your name, you will excel over everyone and bring me the Moonstone, now won't you, my little girl?" She cooed.  
  
The image faded and the fog dissipated. Cassandra sat in silent shock, long after the glowing stopped, and Kline walked over to gently nudge her over to sit on the bed so he could clean up.  
  
"Has your question been answered?" He asked.  
  
Cassandra shakily lifted her right hand, where the Mark of the Brotherhood had been in the image, and then clutched at her chest. "She...she... _used_ him. She intended to use _me_. How...so, she _wanted_ me, but...as a _tool_?"  
  
"At least you can take heart that your father seems to care for you." He said calmly. "And he does not seem to bear her any ill will."  
  
She nodded. "I'm...I need a moment. And to change. And--" She looked up as he offered her a basin. "Y-Yeah, that." She set it next to her and started to wash off the markings.  
  
He walked over to open the door. "When you are ready, I will be with Prince Andrew." He walked out and shut the door behind him.  
  
Cassandra sighed. "So...Hector _is_ my dad. I...wow." She moved to the basin and then got up to get changed back into her normal clothes. "So, my mom was a witch, my dad is a knight, and I was raised by the Captain of the Guards. Wow."  
  
It was a _lot_ to take in. Before she told Rapunzel, though, she needed to go find Hector. She finished getting dressed, then set out to find him.  
  
To her luck, he wasn't with Rapunzel. He was sitting with his beasts in a stable area below deck, crooning and stroking their fur affectionately.  
  
"Hey." Cassandra waved awkwardly.  
  
"Hey." He nodded.  
  
She walked over and sat in front of him. "So...uhm...you...probably heard about my...test thing, right?"  
  
"Yeah." He shrugged.  
  
She bit her lip, unsure how to say this. "Uhm...turns out...uh...it's you." She looked at him. " _You_ are my...uh...real dad."  
  
He blinked at her. "...I have a daughter?"  
  
She nodded. "My mother...uhm..." she laughed a bit, " _she_ was the...woman in the tree with you, the one that translated the spells. That was Gothel."  
  
He blinked in surprise. "...Well..." He chuckled a bit, "if it turns out that I have a daughter, I suppose you're not so bad of one. You're a decent warrior, and we get along well enough. your fierce protectiveness reminds me of myself." He got up and Cassandra stood up as well. "So, what now?"  
  
"Uhm..." she glanced away awkwardly, "would it be... _weird_ to call you...'dad'?" She grinned sheepishly.  
  
He blinked, startled. "Uh, I guess you can. If you want. I don't really know how to _be_ a dad, but I guess you can call me one."  
  
She cleared her throat. "Then, uhm...why don't we go and...tell the others?" She suggested.  
  
He nodded. "Sounds good..." he paused, "daughter." He chuckled awkwardly. "That's just kind of weird. I'll keep calling you 'Cassandra'."  
  
"Yeah, parents don't normally call their kids by titles all the time." She laughed a bit, then turned to go. "Let's go tell the others."  
  
He followed her out, heading for the deck.  
  
\--  
  
Rapunzel bounced on her feet eagerly as Cassandra came out, then gasped when she saw Hector was following her. "Well? What'd Kline say?" She asked excitedly.  
  
Cassandra shifted awkwardly. "Uh, everyone, I'd...like to introduce...uhm..." she looked at Hector, "my _real_ dad."  
  
"Yeah, I have a _daughter_ , apparently." Hector shrugged, looking at Adira.  
  
"Apparently." She said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"With that done, I should be going." Kline said, turning to Andrew. "You may send for me once you have stable lodgings."  
  
"Thank you." Andrew smiled. "She seems very happy with the results."  
  
"Cass, you and Eugene and Varian are _cousins_ now!" Rapunzel declared excitedly.  
  
"...Oh, _Sun_ , she's _right_!" Eugene cried.  
  
Varian laughed.  
  
Kline smiled and then walked down the ramp to leave.  
  
\--  
  
After things calmed down, they set off for Corona again. Cassandra stood at the railing and looked towards Hector, who was sparring with Adira. It was....weird. She barely knew him, and yet she felt like she'd known him her whole life. Despite their rocky start, they got along really well, and now they were fighting side by side.  
  
She wondered, though, if it came to it...would the man that raised her lay down his weapon and not fight them, for her? She still loved him dearly and didn't want to fight him.  
  
But, having her real father with her made things a _little_ easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, no more detours! Next stop? Corona!


	40. Amber

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The airship arrives in Corona under the cover of darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

The airship traveled over the continent until it reached Corona, the moon shining overhead. The Saporians used a cloaking spell to cover their entry and then found a place out of the way to park their ship. Then Maximus and Fidella pulled the caravan down the ramp with Rapunzel's little group inside and Owl sitting on top, Adira and Hector on either side, while Andrew's group stayed on the ship with Cleo. King Edmund and Hamuel rode in the caravan with Eugene and Varian.  
  
"Be safe." Andrew had said to Varian as he stepped into the caravan.  
  
"Don't get spotted." Varian had said, nodding to him.  
  
Andrew then smiled, then watched as Varian closed the door and they started down the ramp.  
  
Now, they were heading towards Old corona, which was just as trashed as the last time they saw it. A couple guards stood at the entrance to the lab, and they started upon seeing the caravan approaching.  
  
"H-Halt!" One of them said.  
  
Rapunzel smiled. "Stan! Pete!"  
  
Varian muttered something about "always them" before Eugene gently shushed him and moved a blanket over him in case they checked.  
  
"Princess Rapunzel!" They cried in unison, recognizing the caravan with her on it. "Oh, you're home, thank the Sun! Did you finish your quest?"  
  
"Yes." She nodded. "And now, I have a promise to keep. Why don't you go and tell my father that I'm home?"  
  
They took off running into the night excitedly and she watched them go before opening the door and peering into the lab. After making sure no one else was here, she went to motion for everyone else to go inside.  
  
\--  
  
Hector gasped softly as he saw Quirin for the first time, his eyes shaking, and Cassandra reached out and took his hand in hers for comfort. Adira stood by silently, while Eugene stood next to his stunned father. Lance turned to look at Varian, who was standing in the doorway silently, and then he walked between all of them and joined Rapunzel in front of the amber.  
  
"Are you ready?" She asked softly.  
  
He pursed his lips, then reached out to place his hands against the amber. He'd never done this with his hands covered, he hoped the rocks wouldn't get in the way. " _Wither and decay,"_ he sang, his gaze on his father's face, _"end this destiny. Break these early chains and set the spirit free."_ The amber started to crack, then melt like goo around them, spilling out onto the floor. " _The spirit free._ "  
  
Rapunzel watched as he repeated the song three more times, and then slowly moved his hands away as the third time ended and his father slumped to his knees. He shakily dropped to his knees in front of him, tears forming in his eyes. "D-Dad?"  
  
Quirin slowly blinked, then opened his eyes fully, looking up at him. "...Varian?" He asked softly.  
  
"Yeah, dad." He smiled. "It's me." He chuckled softly. "So, uh...a lot happened while you were...uhm...asleep. I...met some people. And...uhm..."  
  
"You took the Moonstone into your body." Quirin said softly. It wasn't a question, it was a statement, an understanding of what he'd probably been trying to avoid finally coming to pass. He sighed and pulled him close. "Oh, Varian..."  
  
"Dad..." Varian sniffled and buried his face in his shoulder. "I missed you so much..."  
  
Rapunzel smiled and stepped back, walking over to Lance. "Why don't we go wait for them. I'm sure they all have a lot to talk about."  
  
"Yeah." Lance nodded. "Should probably get Shorty back to the Snuggly Duckling." He chuckled and they headed outside.  
  
Cassandra looked over at them. "Raps?"  
  
"We're heading home." Rapunzel assured her. "You guys should all have a big family reunion." She grinned and waved, closing the door. "See you tomorrow!"  
  
"...'Reunion'?" Quirin looked around the room. "...Oh. But, why is the Princess's...?"  
  
"Surprise, I'm a dad too?" Hector shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, uh..." Varian chuckled awkwardly. "We have _a_ _lot_ to talk about."  
  
"A lot." Eugene nodded.  
  
\--  
  
Quirin had moved their conversation to the house itself, where they found that Stan and Pete had apparently been hanging out in there and stocked the cupboards. Varian went to go check his room and was relieved to find it hadn't been touched, nor had his father's. They just used the kitchen as a break room, he supposed, them and whoever guarded during the day.  
  
"So..." Eugene said as Varian came back over to them. "Uhm...do you want the summary?"  
  
Quirin sighed. "Yes." He rubbed his temples, knowing this was going to be a headache.  
  
"Okay, first of all, _apparently_ , I'm your prince. Varian is the Moonstone, Cassandra is Hector's kid with Gothel of all people and King Frederic has a _lot_ to answer for concerning Varian." Eugene said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Quirin looked at Varian.  
  
Varian shifted in his seat with a sigh. "Well, I can't exactly show you until I figure out how to control the rocks, but...uhm..."  
  
Adira placed her hand on Quirin's shoulder, startling him. "I'll explain. Come on." She coaxed him up and took him into another room.   
  
"What a nice place." King Edmund said as they heard Quirin raising his voice in fury.  
  
"Was nicer before the black rocks came through." Varian replied.  
  
Eugene flinched as they heard something crash. "Uh, should we go check on them?"  
  
"I think Adira's fine. I'm more worried about our pottery." Varian assured him. "He's trying to keep himself calm."  
  
"You have pottery?" Cassandra asked.  
  
"Yeah." Varian nodded. "Or, we _used_ _to_ , at least."  
  
Things seemed to quiet down and themnthey heard low voices before the door opened and Quirin walked over to pull Varian into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, I failed to protect you." He said softly. "I will _never_ let him hurt you again."  
  
"Dad..." Varian smiled softly, then sighed, pulling back. "You _know_ , this whole thing could've been _avoided_ if you hadn't _lied_ to me for _years_! I have an entire family I didn't know _existed_! And, apparently, I'm _magical_?! Do you know how _weird_ that revelation was?!"  
  
"Eh, what's done is done." Hector shrugged. "All we can do is move on to the future. Quirin, we're joining a revolution that the Princess is organizing, you in?"  
  
"A revolution?" Quirin looked at him.  
  
"To take down King Frederic and put Princess Rapunzel on the throne as Queen." Varian nodded, tensing a bit.  
  
Quirin slowly stood up and closed his eyes before he walked off into the hallway. The others looked at each other with confusion and Varian waited silently for him to return. They heard the sound of armor walking and then Quirin returned, wearing the armor he'd been hiding in that chest, a sword at his side. "I will fight for my son, for my King, and for their ally Princess, nay, _Queen_ Rapunzel." He said, walking forward and taking Varian's hand. "And my loyalty for the Moonstone has never wavered. I apologize for lying to you all those years, Varian, but I could not let anyone _know_ and...you tend to get overexcited and...let things go to your head. I intended to take you to the Moonstone when you turned eighteen." He sighed and gently stroked Varian's bangs out of his face. "Because, honestly, the Moonstone stopped _my_ aging when the Dark Kingdom fell. I did not know if it would do the same for you."  
  
Varian paused. "...Wait, you mean I could potentially be fifteen _forever_?" He yelped in alarm.  
  
"Don't worry, _Rapunzel_ aged just fine!" Eugene assured him. "Granted, she does look _really young_ for her age, but she's still been aging, so I think you're okay!"  
  
"So...what about your loyalty to Frederic?" Cassandra asked.  
  
"My 'loyalty' was at first built of friendship from when we knew each other from before the fall of the Dark Kingdom. Then gratitude, for helping me save Varian's mother and her friend from the traditions of his father and giving me a home here. However, after he took the flower, I _stayed_ in Corona to try to make sure he didn't bring the prophesized darkness - which he did. And now he has hurt _my son_ , taking advantage of my absence to claim him for his own..." he clenched his fists, "cruel intentions. I have _no more_ loyalty to him, not as a friend and _certainly_ not as a King. I will _gladly_ strike him down."  
  
Hector grinned and got up to hug him, then took his hand in a firm grip. "Welcome back, Captain!"  
  
\--  
  
Rapunzel climbed down off of Maximus, having left the caravan in Old Corona, and stared up at the castle doors. She never thought she would dread coming back here, and she clutched at the strap of her bag, which carried her journal inside, took a deep breath and put on a big smile as she walked into the castle, a guard gladly opening the door for her as she strode on past him.  
  
"Rapunzel!" Her parents greeted happily as she walked up to them. They had been waiting just inside, both still in their nightclothes. Apparently, she'd woken them with her return. She ran forward and threw her arms around them and they hugged her close happily.  
  
"Welcome home, Rapunzel!" Her father said joyfully.  
  
"Did you have a pleasant trip?" Her mother asked as they all stepped back out of the hug.  
  
"Yes, but now I'm--yaaaaaaawn-- _so tired_!" Rapunzel made a show of covering her mouth as she yawned. "Uhm, Cassandra and Eugene are helping Quirin tonight, in case you were wondering. He's got a _lot_ to catch up on, can you believe how _long_ it's been? I'm sure Varian will be happy to know his father is okay!"  
  
She noticed her father tense a bit. "Er...yes." He cleared his throat. "Well, welcome home. I'm heading back to bed. Big day tomorrow!" He yawned and walked off.  
  
Her mother watched him go, then looked at Rapunzel. "Rapunzel..." She sighed. "Varian...isn't here. He was sent away with the other prisoners on a barge after an explosion in the prison damaged several cells and we were forced to relocate everyone."  
  
Rapunzel glanced around. "Mom, can you...help me get ready for bed?"  
  
Queen Arianna nodded, and they walked off to her room together. "I...thought you'd be more upset." She admitted.  
  
Rapunzel laughed awkwardly. "Oh, I _am_. But, uhm..." She looked at her, then opened the door to her room, closing it quickly behind them and then moving a chair in front of the handles to jam it shut. "Mom, did you _ever_ get a chance to visit Varian while he was in prison?" She turned to her.  
  
"No, I was told that he was still too dangerous." Queen Arianna sighed. "I _did_ once go down to see him regardless, but I couldn't find his cell. The first time I saw him after his trial was when he was being taken to the prison barge."  
  
"That's because he was in High-Security." Rapunzel walked over and sat on her bed, pulling out her journal. "We encountered the prison barge while on our trip and met Varian there, as well as everyone else." She opened the journal and her mother came over to sit next to her. Rapunzel opened the journal to that day and handed it over to her. "I...I found out some...upsetting things about dad." She said grimly.  
  
Queen Arianna took the book and started to read. "'While riding the ferry from Tirapai island, Eugene and Max fell overboard. Apparently, they climbed onto a passing prison barge, which had just finished a mutiny led by Lady Caine. On the barge was almost every criminal I've ever fought, including Varian of Old Corona and Andrew of Saporia. Varian had caught them trying to slip away before they were noticed, and proceeded to drug Eugene with smuggled truth serum for information. He then gave me an ultimatum: Eugene's life and Corona's safety in exchange for me escorting him to the Moonstone I was seeking. He wanted to have power over the black rocks. I had to agree and we moved the caravan onto the prison barge and left the ferry behind. While sailing to the mainland, Varian revealed to me that my father had been whi'--" She cut herself off, moving a hand over her mouth in horror at the illustration Rapunzel had drawn as well as the words. "Oh, Varian..." She breathed.  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "I...I don't know if I can talk about it, so I thought showing you the journal would be better."  
  
Queen Arianna gently moved a finger over dried tearstains on the paper. "...May I read more?"  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "Mom, I...if you had to choose between me and dad, which would you pick?"  
  
Queen Arianna looked at her with surprise, then looked down. "...I honestly...did not _ever_ want to have to answer that question. But, I am guessing that you are asking for a reason. Will you give me time before I answer it?"  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "...Will you sleep in here with me?" She asked softly. "I...I'm afraid to be alone. I mean, I have Pascal, but..."  
  
Queen Arianna smiled and nodded.  
  
Rapunzel smiled and took a sleepy Pascal off her shoulder to put him on his pillow before they rearranged themselves to lie side-by-side under the blankets, Rapunzel's journal held between them as they continued to read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will Queen Arianna's answer be? Will the revolution end before its barely begun, or will it gain an ally?


	41. Neighbor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected ally appears and joins the revolution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

No matter how much Quirin wanted to murder his now ex-friend, he knew that that would only make things worse and so he put his armor away and acted like all was normal as he went into town to find out the situation with Eugene and Cassandra. Varian and his uncles and aunts stayed behind in the house, Varian disappeared into his lab and found where he'd hidden his books and notes, grateful for the only really _competent_ guard that had been lurking around his home before was his stalker. Speaking of which, he didn't _know_ where _he_ was. Hopefully somewhere far away.  
  
While the Brotherhood guarded the town and his home, he set to work on finally translating that scroll, very much eager to learn how to get rid of these _stupid_ _rocks_. "Seriously," he muttered, "there _had_ be a less messy way to get her attention."  
  
He felt the energy in the Moonstone inside of him shift and an apologetic emotion rippled through his body. He sighed and moved his hand to his chest. "It's alright...you didn't mean to." He went back to his translating.  
  
 _ **You seem at ease. I am pleased to see you so relaxed, my little sliver.**_ _  
  
_He chuckled a bit and got out his old notes. "Well, I got my dad back, and I got you and my uncles and aunts. What could I be missing?"  
  
He jolted as he heard a commotion outside and left his work to go to look out the window.  
  
The Brotherhood were all fighting a cloaking figure, who was using a familiar style of fighting but Varian couldn't place where he'd seen it. He couldn't help but be impressed at this one person fending off all three of them, and then laughed as Ruddiger ran to join the fray. He leaned on the window a bit, then noticed that Ruddiger was sniffing at the cloaked stranger curiously before he ran circles around them, making the Brotherhood and the stranger stop fighting to avoid hitting him.  
  
"Okaaaaay." He went to the door and opened it, whistling. "Ruddiger!"  
  
"Varian, get back inside!" King Edmund said firmly.  
  
"Varian?" The stranger asked with surprise, then he stepped back and whistled twice. Another cloaked figure came out of a nearby house and ran over to join him.  
  
"Great, he called _backup_." Hector hissed, shifting his position slightly.  
  
Varian stepped outside as the two strangers pulled off their hoods, his eyes lighting up with recognition. He _knew_ them! "Clyde?" He breathed. "Mr. Miller?"  
  
"It's Floyd." The man said, the teenager next to him grinning back at Varian. "Good to see you're alright, Varian."  
  
"You know them?" Adira asked as Varian ran over and threw his arms around the other teen.  
  
"You're okay! You're back!" Varian cried happily.  
  
"And you're _blue_!" Clyde laughed. "What the heck _happened_ , I thought you were going to _evacuate_ but," he pulled out a Wanted poster of Varian, "you ended up _getting into_ _crime_?"  
  
"It's...a long story. Everyone, this is Clyde and his father Floyd Miller. They're both from Old Corona and were close with my family. Clyde, Mr. Miller, these are my dad's secret brothers and sisters."  
  
"Ah, the secrets never end, eh?" Clyde nudged him with a smirk.  
  
"Tell me about it." Varian rolled his eyes.  
  
"Quirin's off in the Capital right now." Adira looked at Hector.  
  
"If Varian says they're friends, I trust it." Hector retracted his weapon.  
  
"So, what's with the _clothes_?" Clyde asked, looking Varian up and down. "You look like you're about to unleash an early winter."  
  
"Haha, _yes_ , I have been _told_ my clothes resemble something the Queen of Arendelle would wear." Varian rolled his eyes and nudged him. "Speaking of clothes, and _hair_ , _you've_ changed, too!"  
  
While it wasn't as drastic a change, the boy that Varian had grown up knowing wore a green pull-on shirt, black pants and suspenders. This Clyde in front of him had slightly longer reddish-brown hair that was resting at the bottom of his neck instead of just under his chin and wore a brown cloak over a green button-down shirt with a black vest and black pants with brown gloves, no longer the gardening gloves he _used_ to wear, and brown boots. Around his waist was a brown belt with several thin pockets in front and wider pockets at the sides. His pants and shirt also had pockets and there was a sword sheathed at his left side. His blue-green eyes sparkled with mischief yet to come and yet Varian didn't dread any of it.  
  
He couldn't help but notice that, while _he_ had gotten taller, Clyde had _also_ gotten taller. And he was _already_ taller than Varian! ' _So_ unfair.' He thought.  
  
"So, uh, what are _these_?" Varian asked, touching one of the concealed objects with a single delicate finger.  
  
"Oh, _these_." He grinned and unhooked one of the covers, pulling out a stake that looked like it was made of crystal. "These are magical crystal stakes made for trapping and sealing monsters. Shortly after we left, we ran into this creature called a 'Disciple of Zhan Tiri' and got rescued by a Saporian Warrior named Eiram. He trained us to help him fight, on our request, and I've been hunting down these creeps ever since!" He handed him the crystal to examine.  
  
Varian traced over the marking on the crystal in awe. "You've been capturing those Disciples that escaped during the blizzard?" If he squinted, he could see the outline of a person inside of it.  
  
"We're actually here chasing down this one real _nasty_ fellow called 'Tromus', but as soon as we set foot in our old hometown, we got attacked by, apparently, Quirin's family." Floyd explained. "Apparently, he's been luring people into his inn and no one that he's managed to get in there with him has managed to get out."  
  
"But when we got to the location his inn was _supposed_ to be, he was _gone_. So Eiram used magic to trace him and follow him here to Corona." Clyde added.  
  
"How do you know about the inn, then?" Varian asked.  
  
"Our boss gets information from a Saporian Seer named Kline." Clyde shrugged. "But, hey, enough about _us_! You look like you've got a whole _book_ of stories to tell! Let's go in and have a drink, give your feet a rest from standing around in those _heels_." He snickered.  
  
Varian blushed and shoved him a bit before he went inside.  
  
"Here, let me carry your cape." Clyde said teasingly as he picked it up and followed him in.  
  
"Well...I suppose he seems trustworthy." King Edmund nodded, turning to Floyd. "And _you_ seem to be a good man, looking at you."  
  
"Let's go inside, we'll get to know each other better." Floyd suggested, and they went inside.  
  
\--  
  
The "big day" that her father had mentioned was a guarded patrol of the kingdom. Because of this, King Frederic would be out all day and so Rapunzel and her mother had plenty of time to figure out what to do next.  
  
First, her mother showed Rapunzel how she snuck into the palace dungeons last time and they made their way to where Rapunzel had been told the High-Security prison was, using Varian's chameleon dust that she had borrowed in anticipation of her investigation. To say that she was relieved her mother was firmly on her - and Varian's - side was an understatement. She had really been afraid that her mother would, despite everything, side with her father and tell him everything that was in the journal. Varian's escape, his taking the Moonstone - his BEING the Moonstone - and then the revolution plans...it was all dangerous information, and so she kept her journal in her satchel at all times.  
  
She remembered too vividly that Cassandra had nearly been sent to a _convent_ because her father had read her journal without permission and read about her taking her to the rocks. He couldn't even be trusted not to keep his nose out of her private writings, how could she have trusted him _at all_? And after _lying_ to her about the rocks being taken care of, how could she trust him to be anywhere _near_ Varian, much less to get him _help_?  
  
They reached the door and Arianna used swiped keys to unlock it and they both winced as it creaked open. To their relief, no one came running, so they stepped inside.  
  
The place was cold, so very cold, and the stench of blood was everywhere. She felt sick just being here, and she followed her mother silently as they put more chameleon dust on and started to look around.  
  
They walked past guards that were guarding empty cells, looking bored out of their minds.  
  
"Damn explosion. And, of course, as soon as _the kid's_ gone, Lucas decides he's going on _vacation_." One of them muttered.  
  
"They could've _left_ them here, the explosion was nowhere _near_ here." Another one complained. "This job is _so boring_ , can we go back to terrorizing teenagers into their homes? That was fun."  
  
Rapunzel resisted the urge to hit them as they continued exploring. She shook the door of one of the cells and one of the men jumped in alarm.  
  
"Geez! What the _hell_?!" He yelped.  
  
"Lucas, if that was you, it _wasn't_ funny!" Another one said firmly.  
  
'Apparently, they know about his magic.' Rapunzel thought, then stopped when she saw markings on the wall of one of the cells at the very end. Mathematical equations, rows of marks in sets of five, she felt _sick_ just thinking of how long he'd spent in here. She stepped back and made her way over to where Varian had told her the interrogation room was, her mother right behind her.  
  
"Maybe it's actually haunted." One of the men remarked. "Wouldn't be surprised."  
  
They reached the door and she hesitantly opened it.  
  
The stench of blood was stronger here, with stains on the wooden table and cuts in the wood indicating something had struck it. She didn't know the details, but she could get the idea just from being in here and she walked over to move her hand over the table, wincing as she imagined the cuffs attached to it wrapped around Varian's thin, young wrists. She drew her hand back and then felt her mother's hand wrap around hers. Then they both made their way out - they'd seen all they needed to.  
  
"Apparently, Lucas isn't back yet, or at least he's not back in the dungeon.' Rapunzel thought as they left the prison and, while in the secret tunnel, waited for the dust to wear off.  
  
When it finally did, her mother reluctantly let go of her hand and they walked out to the hallway together, dusting themselves off. Only once they got back to Rapunzel's room did they dare to speak again.  
  
\--  
  
"...I didn't even know we _had_ such a place." Queen Arianna said grimly. "I suspect it's part of the things that Frederic never told me about his family." She glanced away. "As well as that _bunker_ that Varian mentioned."  
  
"Mom, will you come with me to Old Corona?" Rapunzel turned to her. "To see Varian?"  
  
Her mother tensed, and Rapunzel understood why. The last time she'd been there with him, she had been in chains. But, she nodded and smiled softly before turning to the door. "Alright. Let's go see him."  
  
They headed out together, Rapunzel glancing around nervously for any sign of Nigel or any of the Royal Guard that might follow them, but they managed to make it out to the stables.  
  
"Hey, Sunshine!" Eugene greeted from where he and Cassandra were talking with Quirin. "We were just looking for you!"  
  
"Hey," She hugged him. "Quirin, I'm surprised to see you here! My mother and I were just on the way to visit you." She walked closer and whispered, "It's okay. She's on our side."  
  
He nodded. "Well, I was hoping to see my son, but it seems he was sent out on a _prison barge_." He glanced away with a scowl.  
  
"I _do_ apologize for that, Quirin." Queen Arianna said gently. "There was an explosion and the prison was damaged and he got sent along with the others by mistake. Of course, we've been working on getting him brought back, but none of our messages have been returned." She bowed her head in shame. "We fear that something may have happened..."  
  
Quirin sighed. "Where is His Majesty?"  
  
"He's out on patrol around the Kingdom right now." Queen Arianna nodded. "The Royal Guard is with him."  
  
"Well, if Varian is not here and neither is the King, I may as well go back." Quirin shook his head. "Might I offer you to join me for tea, Your Majesty?"  
  
"I have never been one to turn down tea with a friend." She smiled. "And we can talk about repairing Old Corona, now that you are free."  
  
"Let's take a carriage." Rapunzel suggested.  
  
\--  
  
They hitched up Maximus to a carriage and headed back to Old Corona. Quirin was quiet as they rode, looking out towards the woods. Somewhere out in the Kingdom right now was King Frederic, living his carefree life like he _didn't_ have a teenager terrorized into insanity, imprisoned, tortured, and then _shipped off on a prison barge_. He clenched his fist on his leg with a scowl. He felt someone touch his hand and he tensed before looking down at the soft hand resting on his, then following the arm up to look at Queen Arianna's pained smile.  
  
This must be _torture_ for her, even more than him. Finding out that her beloved husband was _capable_ of such...such _cruelty_. He opened his clenched fist, turned his hand and gently held her hand in his gloved one.   
  
Choosing to join the revolution that sought to throw her husband off the throne can't have been an easy choice for her. But, it was the right one, for sure.  
  
They reached Old Corona and he opened the door and stepped out, offering her his hand to help her step down. Then they walked towards the house, stopping short.  
  
"Something's wrong." He murmured. "Where are they?" He ran forward and threw open the door. "Hector, are you--uh?" He stopped short, seeing Hector being held in a headlock.  
  
"I give! I give! Ah, Quirin, you're here! Tell your neighbor to get off me! I surrender!" Hector struggled in large arms.  
  
Quirin's eyes widened. "Floyd?" He breathed. "You're _home_?"  
  
"Quirin!" The ex-farmer let go of Hector and ran forward to hug Quirin. "I've missed you, old friend!"  
  
"Wha--where--" He looked around. "Where is your son?"  
  
"Watching _your_ son translate some old scroll in the lab." Floyd turned to see who else had entered, then bowed on one knee. "Your Majesty, Your Highness."  
  
"Uh...wow." Rapunzel blinked. "I-It's okay, you don't have to bow. Quirin, uhm, who is this?"  
  
Floyd stood up. "Floyd Miller, Your Highness. I used to be a farmer here, now I'm a Witch-hunter." He chuckled a bit. "Seen anyone with glowing, green eyes anywhere?"  
  
Eugene, Cassandra and Rapunzel looked at each other, then headed for Varian's lab while Queen Arianna remained with the others.  
  
Rapunzel opened the door. "Varian?!"  
  
Varian looked up from the Demanitus Scroll. "Princess, are you _ever_ going to learn to knock?"  
  
"This symbol looks a liiittle bit like _this_ one here." A teenager next to him said, pointing at a book. "But, also like _this_ one _here_." He pointed to another book.  
  
"It's _fascinating_ , right?" Varian grinned at him. "Oh, Princess Rapunzel, this is Clyde, my neighbor. He evacuated with the rest, but now he's returned and is here to hunt down Disciples like Tromus and Lucas. Clyde, this is Princess Rapunzel and my apparently-cousins Eugene and Cassandra."  
  
"'Cousins'?" Clyde looked at Varian. "But, didn't you have a _crush_ on _bo_ \--"  
  
"I didn't KNOW, okay?!" He covered his mouth with both hands, blushing furiously.  
  
Clyde's shoulders shook, his eyes squinting like he was laughing.  
  
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Clyde!" Rapunzel walked over to him and extended her hand. "Please, just call me Rapunzel!"  
  
Clyde smiled and took her hand as Varian moved his hands away from his mouth, making a disgusted face as he went to wipe them off. "Pleasure to meet you too, Rapunzel. Sounds like we have a mutual enemy, let's both do our best to take them down."  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "I'm counting on you!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much to do, not much time to do it while King Frederic's eye is on something else. And where are Lucas and Tromus?
> 
> ((A/N: Followers of my IG and readers of "Twisted Destiny" and "Safe Harbor" may recall hearing about this guy.))


	42. Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel meets with Xavier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"My dad is going to be out all day, he's out surveying the Kingdom right now, so it's the perfect time to meet with the people." Rapunzel said as they all sat or stood around Quirin's kitchen, where they'd been served drinks.  
  
"If you want to organize the people, I'd turn to Xavier." Floyd suggested. "He is, at least when I was still in the Kingdom, one of the most respected people in the Capital City and he knows everyone."  
  
"By the _adults_ , maybe." Clyde remarked, nudging Varian.  
  
"His impromptu stories _can_ go on a while." Varian nodded.  
  
"Yes, well, it's the _adults_ that will mostly be dealing with the King." Quirin said with amusement at their shared disdain for the man's habit.  
  
"Lance is talking to everyone at the Snuggly Duckling, and Lady Caine is handling the other criminals in town. So, it's up to us to get the citizens onboard. Quirin, there's a Saporian airship hidden in the woods that Varian can hide in if a guard decides to get curious. Speaking of which, Varian," she passed him his chameleon dust, "we...saw the room."  
  
He accepted the vial silently and put it in his backpack. Clyde gently squeezed his hand comfortingly and murmured something Rapunzel couldn't hear.  
  
To say that she was surprised to know Varian had a friend in town was an understatement - well, Varian had insisted they were "not friends, but not enemies, either" but the way they behaved around each other was very familiar and almost familial. He was more relaxed around him than she'd ever seen him, and she felt a tad jealous. Even _Andrew_ didn't put him at such ease, and she supposed it was because Clyde wasn't at all connected to his time in prison.  
  
"Varian, Clyde, why don't you two go on back to translating?" Rapunzel suggested. "You seemed to be enjoying that more than this meeting. We'll tell you everything we talked about here."  
  
"You got it, Princess." Clyde did a finger-gun, stood up and scooped Varian into his arms as he protested the whole time, carrying him back to the lab with Adira and Ruddiger at their heels.  
  
"Can you _put me down_?!" Varian protested.  
  
"And let you trip on your magnificent cape? Perish the thought." Clyde teased.  
  
Eugene and Cassandra chuckled as the door closed behind them. "Okay, so, back to the topic of revolution." Eugene turned to them.  
  
"I doubt all of the Royal Guard is onboard with what went on down there." Rapunzel said grimly. "I didn't see the Captain anywhere, so he must be with my father."  
  
"We'll worry about the Royal Guard later." Quirin assured her. "Let's focus on the people. Xavier has a secret basement that he once showed me, we can organize a town meeting in there and tell everyone what we found out about the King. If it's coming from _you_ , Princess Rapunzel, they will believe it."  
  
"I know it might seem cruel," Cassandra said carefully, "but, maybe we should wait for Varian to finish his translations so he can show them his back. It's the biggest proof we have, words won't be enough even from the Princess."  
  
"I suppose him ignoring the black rocks problem isn't enough proof of his cruelty." Floyd frowned.  
  
Hector looked at Quirin, who pursed his lips tightly, then looked back at Cassandra. "It's a sound idea, daughter, but definitely one we should ask him if he's alright with doing."   
  
"Either way, he should be at the town meeting to give his testimony." Quirin said grimly. "Lady Caine, as well. They're both citizens of Corona, after all."  
  
"We can't wait for Varian to finish his translating." Rapunzel shook his head. "If they need proof, I...I have my journal. I drew a...a picture." She clutched at the strap of her satchel. "I can show them it, show them...what he told me."  
  
"I doubt he told you everything." King Edmund said grimly. "Just the things he _told_ us about were horrific, but I could sense he was holding back."  
  
"We don't need to know all the details. all the people need to know is that my father is unstable and...a cruel man." Rapunzel looked at her mother, who was somehow remaining composed even when Rapunzel felt like she was going to break. She needed to be strong like her. She stood tall like her mother was and turned back to them. "We need to make sure he can't hurt any more people, and we need to take down anyone else that supports his cruelty."  
  
"Which is?" Floyd prompted.  
  
"We...we don't know for sure yet. But, we will find out. Let's focus on organizing the people." Rapunzel nodded.  
  
"After the town meeting, we'll start spreading rumors. Those that would stand by the King despite them will show themselves." Cassandra said, nodding. "You'll know who is the most loyal because they will be the quickest to try to shut them down without finding out for sure if they're true or not."  
  
"What about propaganda?" Queen Arianna suggested. "You could make flyers with...with quotes allegedly said by my husband. Varian has an impressive memory, he could..." She took a deep breath then released it slowly. "Rumors can be shut down a lot easier than posters can be destroyed. If they take them down, they'll just be replaced."  
  
"All good ideas." Rapunzel nodded. "But, let's get that town meeting done, first. Quirin, you and I will go talk to Xavier. Floyd, why don't you come with us?"  
  
Floyd nodded and stood up. "While I'm in the city, I'll try to see if I can detect any trace of that Disciple. The artifact I've been using is..." He pulled out a glowing compass and knocked on it as it pointed towards Varian's lab, "acting up here, for some reason."  
  
Rapunzel gasped. "Oh, riiiiight. We should... _probably_ tell you about this." She headed over and opened the door to the lab. "Varian? Uhm, can you come out here, please? And bring Ruddiger?"  
  
"Okay?" Varian said, and then they all came back out, Ruddiger around Varian's shoulders.  
  
Floyd raised an eyebrow. "Your Highness?"  
  
"I think I know why your artifact is acting up." She gently lifted Ruddiger from Varian's shoulders and set him on the table. The compass' arrow pointed towards him. "Ruddiger, uhm, used to be a Disciple of Zhan Tiri. He defected and is on our side now, but it seems that he still...uh...is a Disciple."  
  
"Your _raccoon_?" Clyde looked at Varian.  
  
"I don't really know why he's a raccoon, but Lord Demanitus, who is a monkey now, told us that he was most likely changed by Zhan Tiri. But, we saw his true form when we were trapped in a dream world by Tromus, and he helped us escape it and said that he was a traitor to them, so...he's a good Disciple." Varian explained.  
  
"Hm...I'll have to contact Eiram, I don't know how to...make it stop reacting to a particular person...so, this raccoon was once _human_?" Floyd looked at ruddiger curiously.  
  
Ruddiger just stared up at him, and then his eyes glowed green briefly before he turned and hopped up onto Varian's shoulders again, curling up with a huff.  
  
"Well, as long as you're away from him, it should still work." Rapunzel looked at Floyd.  
  
"Right..." Floyd reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar-looking mirror. "I'll be right back." He walked off to another room.  
  
"Can we go back to work now?" Varian asked, stroking Ruddiger's fur.  
  
"Yeah, you can." Rapunzel smiled.  
  
"Wait, Varian." Cassandra stood up and walked over to him. "How soon do you think you can get it translated?"  
  
"Honestly, I'd say a week, maybe two." Varian admitted. "Assuming I don't get distracted."  
  
"Okay...would you be willing to give a testimony at the town meeting once it's arranged?" She asked.  
  
He blinked, then glanced away. "You mean of the King's 'attentions'?"  
  
"Yes." Cassandra nodded.  
  
Varian sighed. "Sure." He turned and walked off to his lab. "Just let me know when, so I can mentally prepare. Maybe I'll write it down, just in case."  
  
Cassandra nodded, watching as Adira and Clyde followed him in, and then the door was shut between them.  
  
"Well..." Rapunzel stood up. "Let's get going, then."  
  
"We'll go with you." Eugene stood up. "Pretty sure that people will start asking questions soon if we don't."  
  
"Besides, you'll need the support." Queen Arianna stood up. "I will be going with you as well."  
  
Rapunzel sighed. "We need to have faith." She softly, then gasped. "Oh! Faith! She's Varian's friend!"  
  
"The young maid?" Queen Arianna asked.  
  
"Well, they sort of became friends, he said?" Rapunzel shrugged.  
  
"I'll go talk to Faith." Cassandra offered. "See what her opinion is of Varian and, if she still cares about him and wants to be his friend, I'll bring her to see him."  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "Alright. Eugene, actually, can you check in on Lance? Oh, and tell him about Floyd and Clyde, so he's not caught off-guard when he comes to visit."  
  
Eugene nodded. "Will do."  
  
"The rest of us will remain here." King Edmund nodded.  
  
Floyd came back. "Okay, where's the...raccoon?" He looked around.  
  
"Lab." Eugene pointed to it.  
  
Floyd walked over and knocked on the door before opening it. "Varian? May I borrow your raccoon for a moment? I need to use a spell that will register him as already 'taken care of'..."  
  
"Once he's done with that, we'll set out." Rapunzel said, nodding firmly.  
  
\--  
  
King Frederic was no fool. He could sense that his daughter was hiding something, she hadn't been as furious about Varian being sent away - or even being in prison up until the point of the explosion - as he expected. Still, he couldn't for the _life_ of him figure out _what_. He rode his horse with the Captain at his side, looking around cautiously. Something felt wrong. He could sense danger on the wind, like a coming war. Was it Saporia? Had they somehow retrieved their Prince and were here to take revenge?  
  
No, the Saporians had been unnervingly quiet lately, but this wasn't _that_ kind of feeling. It was something else, something...darker. He turned his gaze to a black rock jutting out of the ground, his lips pursed.  
  
"Your Majesty?" Captain Solomon prompted.  
  
He looked at him. "Did Rapunzel seem... _off_ this morning at breakfast?"  
  
"I wasn't there. I _am_ concerned about Cassandra, though. I heard she was helping Quirin adjust, and the man may not... _react well_ to learning about what his son went through in his absence." The Captain admitted.  
  
King Frederic nodded. "A valid concern."  
  
"Your Majesty!" They looked over to see Lucas running up to him.  
  
"Lucas, you're back!" King Frederic smiled. "Did you enjoy your vacation?"  
  
"I did, thank you. But that's _not_ what I'm here for. Your Majesty, I found something of concern." Lucas said urgently.  
  
"And already back on the job! Ah, see, this is why I had him among the group watching Varian before." He chuckled and looked at Lucas. "What did you find?"  
  
"This way!" Lucas headed off and King Frederic eagerly followed.  
  
"Your Majesty, wait!" The Captain called as his King took off without him.  
  
Lucas led King Frederic to a cave with a mysterious door over the opening. "Isn't this suspicious?" He asked, turning to him.  
  
"Yes..." King Frederic got off his horse and walked over to the door, reaching out a hand to open it. He gasped as it opened before he could touch it and looked at his hand before he drew his sword and stepped inside.  
  
Lucas went in with him and the door closed behind them, the door vanishing once it was closed.  
  
\--  
  
"Your Majesty!" The Captain caught up to his horse and was stunned to find him and Lucas both nowhere to be seen. "Your Majesty?!" He dismounted, drew his sword and went to look into the cave. It was as small as a one-room shack and had signs of someone being here, but they were old. "Your Majesty?!" He called, looking around. 'They can't have gone far.' He thought, heading over to where his men were looking around anxiously and waiting for word.  
  
Why had he been so _stupid_ as to let him go off _alone_? Well, he hadn't, the King just had a head-start. And he _wasn't_ alone, he was with _Lucas_ , wasn't he? Then again, The Captain didn't _hire_ Lucas, he barely _knew_ him beyond when they briefly worked together. He was part of the High-Security crowd, and _they_ were all _scoundrels_. His blood boiled as he thought of the one time he'd caught the man unfastening Varian's clothes after knocking him out. He'd threatened him after that and kept close to Varian, but he couldn't be there for him _all_ the time, so he'd put someone he trusted in his place to make sure nothing untoward happened to the teenager.  
  
 _Sun_ , he hoped that the boy hadn't been violated down in High-Security. From what little he managed to hear, it sounded like his cellmate, the Saporian, had been protecting him. If anything happened to him, though, Quirin would have _all_ their heads. He vividly recalled facing the man when he first came to live in Corona, after being stopped from (rightfully) arresting Varian's soon-to-be mother and her friend after caused massive destruction with their alchemy.  
  
A practice that, he thought wryly, her son appeared to be keeping up after alchemy was no longer outlawed. Now they had to wait for people to press charges to actually punish him, but of course that never happened. Not with his father protecting him. It was best to leave his punishment to his father, anyway.  
  
He was getting distracted. He shook his head and turned to his men. "Spread out, search for the King! He can't have gone far!"  
  
"Yes, sir!" The men said, and they started to search.  
  
Captain Solomon cringed, hoping that The King was safe.  
  
\--  
  
Rapunzel walked into Xavier's shop with Quirin, Floyd and Queen Arianna. "Xavier? Are you here?"  
  
The blacksmith came out from behind his forge. "Your Majesty, Your Highness." He greeted, bowing at the waist, then looked up at the other two. "Quirin and...is that Floyd? Goodness, you've changed."  
  
"Yes, I hunt monsters now. The Disciples of Zhan Tiri have been running loose again." Floyd nodded.  
  
"Unleashed during Zhan Tiri's blizzard, yes." Xavier nodded grimly. "Well, why have you all come? Did you come seeking advice?"  
  
"We need your help." Rapunzel said, stepping forward. "We need your help with gathering the people for a...private meeting. My father can't know of it."  
  
Xavier's eyes widened. "It may take some time. When do you want this meeting?"  
  
"Before my father returns to the city tonight." Rapunzel nodded firmly. "But, first, I _have_ to ask you something." She took his hands in hers. "...What are your thoughts about Varian?"  
  
Xavier raised an eyebrow. "My thoughts about Varian? Well, that's an interesting question." He chuckled and pulled his hands from hers, bringing a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "He was very hurt, and lonely. I can't imagine the rumors were helping his psyche, and after I heard about what happened to Quirin...well, I tried to help him after Varian was locked away, but I never even got to _speak_ to Varian before that. I saw him calling for help but he was driven out of town before I could offer it and then the Royal Guard told me not to follow. I believe that he did not want to hurt anyone, and was acting on his emotions when he attacked you during the battle."  
  
"Do you care about him?" Rapunzel asked. "If...if you found out that something had happened to him in prison, would you be angry?"  
  
"It is quite difficult to get me angry, Princess." He assured her. "It would have to be something truly terrible."  
  
Rapunzel reached into her bag and pulled out her journal, turning it to a certain page and handing it to him.  
  
Xavier accepted the book and silently read. At first, he seemed almost amused about Eugene's capture. But, as he read on, his expression darkened and then he looked ashamed before he closed the book, handed it back and walked over to his forge, picking up his hammer and banging on whatever he was working on with aggressive force for several minutes. After a bit, his movements became less aggressive and he set down the hammer before he walked back over to Rapunzel. "What would you have me do?" He asked calmly.  
  
"Gather anyone you think would not turn us in." Rapunzel said firmly. "We're going to 'take care of the problem'."  
  
"Messy business...but, it is necessary." Xavier nodded. "I will arrange for this. Where can I send word that everyone is waiting?"  
  
"Old Corona." Rapunzel smiled.  
  
"Thank you, Xavier." Queen Arianna said gently.  
  
Xavier bowed on one knee. "You have my endless loyalty. I wonder, though, do you intend to call for outside aid if it comes to it?"  
  
"No, we're going to try to avoid all-out war." Rapunzel shook her head.  
  
"Understood." He stood up. "I will contact you when everything is ready. Safe travels, Your Highness."  
  
Rapunzel nodded and then they headed out.  
  
"Quirin," Xavier held out a hand and Quirin paused to turn to him. "I am sorry that I could not help your son."  
  
"You did not know that he _needed_ it until it was too late." Quirin said grimly. "Frederic covered his tracks. I do not fault you." He walked out to join Rapunzel and the others.  
  
Xavier sighed. "I still wish I could have done more." He walked back to his forge and melted the twisted metal back into liquid form. He had work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much to do, so little time!


	43. Warped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> King Frederic meets a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

King Frederic looked around in confusion at the hilly landscape in front of him. Wasn't he entering a _cave_? He gasped as he heard the door shut behind him and turned to see Lucas standing next to the door as it vanished. "Lucas, what--the door?!"  
  
"Forgive my deception, Your Majesty, but I needed to lure you away from the Captain. You see, he is likely to side with his daughter, and she has made some...concerning decisions while on that little trip." He walked past him, his armor changing into a white shirt with pants pants, a blue vest covering most of his torso. "You see, while on my vacation I dropped my my old home and, well, that's where I met...them." He waved his hand and the landscape changed to the inside of a hollow tree. He realized with a start that he was looking at Rapunzel and her group - and they had Varian with them.  
  
"What?" He hissed. "How is this _possible_?!"  
  
" _I_ can only show you what _I_ personally know. However, I have a _friend_ that can show you more." He motioned for him to follow as the image disappeared and another door appeared. "Come along."  
  
King Frederic paused. "Can I trust you?"  
  
"You've trusted me up until now." Lucas opened the door and motioned for him to enter. "Or would you rather remain in the dark?"  
  
King Frederic gasped as the landscape vanished, leaving him in pitch-black darkness, with a light shining from the door Lucas had opened being the only source of light.  
  
He walked forward and looked at him. "Alright. I trust you." He walked through and Lucas stepped through after him, closing the door behind him.  
  
This time he found himself in a barren landscape. He looked around, but couldn't see any sign of anyone but them. "So, where is this friend you mentioned?" He asked.  
  
"Hello."  
  
He gasped and turned towards the source of a girl's voice. She giggled a bit at his reaction and Lucas chuckled. "Who...who are you?"  
  
"A friend." She floated up to look Frederic in the face. "Or, at least, I'd like to be."  
  
King Frederic stared at her in disbelief, then shook his head. "Lucas tells me that you can tell me how that...that _child_ is with my daughter."  
  
"Oh yes." She cooed, then waved her hand. The barren landscape changed and he gasped, seeing that he was now floating in the air above an ocean. "It's alright." She assured him. "We are simply observers in an events that has already come to pass." She motioned for him to follow and flew down towards what looked like the Coronan Prison Barge.  
  
Lucas took King Frederic's hand and they flew down together, the King letting his Guard guide him.  
  
They stopped next to the girl and saw that the place had been overrun by criminals. Eugene and Maximus were captured and Varian was kneeling in front of Eugene as he sat on the floor of the deck, surrounded by criminals.  
  
“You may as well eat the rest.” Varian said cheerfully. “So, _Eugene_ , where is Princess Rapunzel going?”  
  
Eugene looked horrified, disconcerted, then in pain.  
  
“He can’t resist forever.” Varian assured them. “They always tell.”  
  
"Truth serum." King Frederic scowled. "How did he get that on there?"  
  
“Alright, guys, no need for us all to hang around.” Lady Caine smiled. “Varian and Andrew will tell us everything they find out. Let’s get ready to intercept that ferry.”  
  
"Probably with his little partner-in-crime's help." Lucas said, directing his attention to Varian's ever-faithful raccoon.  
  
“No, don’t, Rapunzel’s on there!” Eugene blurted out.  
  
“Really!” Lady Caine grinned. “Well, now we’re _definitely_ going to! You two have fun here.” She walked off with the others.  
  
Eugene paled. “Please, no, we have to get to the Dark Kingdom to stop the Moonstone!” He pleaded, struggling in his binds.  
  
“The Moonstone?” Varian reached out a hand and cupped Eugene's, making him freeze in his efforts. Eugene looked at him with horror as Varian smiled in a mockingly sweet way. “What’s the Moonstone?”  
  
Frederic clenched his fists, his scowl deepening as Eugene replied. “I-It’s a mystical object, like the Sundrop Flower, that has the powers of the moon and is creating the black rocks attacking Corona. Also, it’s apparently sentient.”  
  
Varian nodded. “What’s the Dark Kingdom?”  
  
"It's a Kingdom on the other side of the world from Corona, it's on the continent we're heading for now." Eugene explained, unable to stop himself from doing so. "Rapunzel is going to get the Moonstone to stop the rocks forever by uniting the Sundrop with the Moonstone. We've been following the rocks to it."  
  
"So, this Moonstone can control the rocks, right?" Varian nodded. "Okay, then." He grinned and ruffled Eugene's hair in a condescending way. "Sounds like I have to go and get it, then!" He stood up and walked off with Andrew.  
  
"H-Hey!" Eugene cried after him. "What about me?"  
  
"Can we get him tied up somewhere out off the way?" Varian asked when he reached Lady Caine and the others.  
  
"We're not going to kill him?" Lady Caine asked.  
  
"No." Varian grinned. "The Princess in on a little trip, and I'm going along. The Moonstone is the one that sent the rocks to Corona and is probably the only thing that can free my father. I'm taking it." He looked over at Eugene, who was struggling in his binds. "He'll be good incentive for her to obey. And just to make sure, we'll put Corona's safety on the table."  
  
Lady Caine grinned and ruffled his hair. "Look at you, so smart!"  
  
He blushed a bit.  
  
"Hey, let's get lover-boy tied to the mast!" Lady Caine ordered.  
  
"As you can probably expect, Rapunzel did not have a choice." The girl told King Frederic. "Lose the love of her life and her Kingdom, or escort this boy to his goal? Surely you understand that, for the ones you love, you have to make difficult choices."  
  
"I do." King Frederic said softly.  
  
He was then shown another image, this one of Varian reaching for the Moonstone. His hand was held in Rapunzel's, who looked...happy. The Moonstone rose up and flew forward, slamming into Varian's body, and he cried out in pain as he was physically changed, lifting into the air. to King Frederic confusion, there was no sign of the jewel anywhere now. "Why would Rapunzel be happy to bring him here? Was she relieved it was finally over?"  
  
"During his trip, he has been tricking her into seeing him as a friend." The girl explained. "However, while doing so, he has been turning her against _you_. She knows of his treatment in High-Security, and every one of her group is solidly on his side." She floated over and took his face in her hands. "You are the _only_ one to know the true danger he poses, especially now. His heritage, and his true nature, you've known them both all along. You tried to protect her, but he was too good. Surely, he had his raccoon cause the explosion that set him free from your tight clutches."  
  
"Yes. Surely." King Frederic pursed his lips. "How can I save her?"  
  
"The reason that he can manipulate her so well is because of their cosmic connection." She waved her hand and they were in a starry landscape, watching as the Sundrop and Moonstone broke off from the sun and moon during the Cosmic Event. "He was born to be the host of the Moonstone, and she is the Sundrop. If you were to find a way to _break_ that connection, you could set her free."  
  
The image faded and they were back in the barren landscape. "When the eclipse comes the month of Rapunzel's twenty-first birthday, the Sundrop will come out of Rapunzel and be able to be taken away from her, thus severing the connection. Until then, you must do everything in your power to keep them apart. Or else, you may have to resort to...other methods."  
  
"'Other methods'?" He turned to her.  
  
"Swear yourself to Zhan Tiri." She said calmly. "You will be given power that can challenge his."  
  
"Great power. You will be unrivalled, and never have to worry about losing her every again." Lucas nodded.  
  
"I...this is all a lot to think about." He said, stepping back.  
  
"You have time." The girl assured him. "But, not much. Even now, he conspires to turn your subjects against you. He is using Rapunzel once again for his wicked schemes."  
  
"...Where is he?" King Frederic growled.  
  
"You could not take him now. He is too heavily protected." Lucas shook his head. "But remember our offer, and try to...distract her. That worked before, after all."  
  
"I don't know if it will, with what I have seen." King Frederic turned away and was startled to see the door he'd first entered in front of him.  
  
"Take time to decide. However, she will never be truly free until you break their connection - one way or another." The girl said, the door opening.  
  
Lucas' appearance changed back to what it was when they entered and he walked to the door.  
  
"Zhan Tiri will wait for your answer." The girl assured him.  
  
King Frederic nodded, then stepped out with Lucas, the door closing behind them.  
  
\--  
  
"Your Majesty!" The Captain cried out with relief when he saw him walking with Lucas. "Where have you been?! I've been looking for you for hours!"  
  
"We went through the door and came out miles away." King Frederic explained. "Lucas helped me find my way back."  
  
"Oh. Good." The Captain breathed a sigh of relief. "Next time, don't go through any strange doors without me."  
  
"I won't." King Frederic smiled and then went over to his still-waiting horse. "Lucas, ride back with me?"  
  
"Of course." Lucas smiled, climbing on behind him before they all set off to continue his patrol.  
  
The Captain couldn't place it, but something felt...wrong. Like Lucas was doing something sly when he wasn't looking. And he had a terrible feeling that things weren't so safe as the King would lead him to believe.  
  
He wanted to see his daughter again. He wouldn't feel at ease until he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will King Frederic's choice be?


	44. Town Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel meets with the people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

To be completely honest, Varian was feeling as nervous as before he did his presentation at the science expo. Xavier had just arrived to tell Rapunzel that everyone had gathered and was waiting, and so he was gathering up his notes with shaking hands.  
  
"You okay?" Clyde asked gently.  
  
"I just...they didn't care _before_. I went to town for help after you all evacuated, and they...they didn't care about me before, they all called for my blood, why would they care _now_? What if all... _this_...is for nothing?" He clutched at his shoulder.  
  
Clyde sighed and gathered up the notes for him, gently tapping them all on the desk together to straighten them before he carefully used a hole punch on the edges of one side and used twine to keep them together. Then he handed the papers to Varian, who took them with nervous, shaking hands. "Come on." He said gently, leading him out of the lab.  
  
"Do they know about him?" Rapunzel asked Xavier as Varian stepped out.  
  
"Not yet." Xavier walked forward and pulled Varian into a hug. "It's going to be alright." He assured him. "You won't be alone this time."  
  
Varian nodded, then looked at Rapunzel once the man stepped back. "Are...are _you_ ready?"  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "I am. I think. Are you?"  
  
"Heh...ready as I'll ever be." He nodded.  
  
They headed for the door, and Varian glanced at Xavier. "So...no comment about my...appearance?"  
  
"Hm...you've gotten taller." Xavier chuckled and walked outside.  
  
"...Okay." Varian shrugged and then they walked out to get into a carriage, Varian pulling a black cloak on over his glowing body and hair to conceal him.  
  
Rapunzel smiled encouragingly at Varian as they watched everyone else get into a cart and then they were setting off for the Capital. He looked at the papers in his hands nervously, and gasped when he saw Rapunzel's hand close around his gently.  
  
"It's goin to be alright." Rapunzel assured him. "Mom is there already, and she'll make sure everything goes well."  
  
"I'm just...I'm just scared that I'll screw up and get mad at them for suddenly caring after heartlessly throwing me aside without even getting my side of the story, just because the King said it happened."  
  
Rapunzel moved to his side of the carriage and pulled him into a hug. "It's alright, We've got this."  
  
He sighed and clutched at her sleeve a bit. "I wish I wasn't so afraid to trust that things will be alright..."  
  
"It will be." She assured him. "It _will_ be."  
  
He closed his eyes. "I hope so."  
  
\--  
  
The carriage and cart pulled to a stop outside a decided upon place and then Xavier showed them a secret way to get into the city and to his secret basement through the Herz Der Sonne tunnels. They stopped just outside the basement and he turned to Varian. "Are you ready for this?"  
  
"Heh..." Varian swallowed nervously. "Let's...let's do this."  
  
Rapunzel smiled and nodded. "Take us in, Xavier."  
  
Xavier pushed against a stone and it opened up to let them into a large basement area, where a large crowd of people were gathered. Varian was still wearing his black cloak as he walked over with Rapunzel and the other to join Queen Arianna, who gave them an encouraging smile. Varian saw Eugene, Lance and Cassandra were here with Faith and the guys from the Snuggly Duckling, and there were a bunch of people that Varian knew by name but had never actually spoken to much before now.   
  
"Don't worry, Xavier made sure to ask them their opinion of you, now that the fury of my kidnapping has worn off." Queen Arianna assured him quietly. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Nervous." He admitted. "Kind of ill."  
  
She gently squeezed his hand comfortingly.  
  
Rapunzel walked over to stand in front of the group while Xavier closed the wall they came through and cleared her throat. "Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming. I know that you're probably very confused about how hush-hush this all is, and about what it could be about, but I assure you, you will get it all cleared up today." She put her hands behind her back so people couldn't see her wringing them. "First of all, my mission was a success. Sort of. I went to the Dark Kingdom to find the source of the black rocks, the Moonstone Opal, to stop the rocks from spreading. And, technically, I did that. But, on the way, I found...someone." She looked to her side and beckoned Varian forward.  
  
Varian slowly walked forward, set his papers on a pile of boxes near them, and pulled off his hood, earning surprised gasps and murmurs from the crowd. "Varian had been sent away by my father on a prison barge, which my group encountered by chance. After talking with him, we agreed to take him along with us to find the Moonstone. After all, everyone here knows of what the rocks did to his village, to his father." She looked at Quirin, who had walked over to gently place his hand on Varian's shoulder. "Well, on the way, uhm, we found out that Varian is...like _me_. He's...my counterpart. The Moonstone to my Sundrop. So, when we went to the Dark Kingdom, it went inside of him like the Sundrop is inside of me."  
  
Varian unfastened his cloak and let it slip off his shoulders, revealing the fancy Moon clothes he was wearing.  
  
"Huh, is _that_ why he was wearing a crown." Someone commented.  
  
"And his hair is blue." Someone else commented. "That's different."  
  
Varian glanced away, picking up his papers again as Rapunzel went on. "But, I didn't bring you all here just to, you know, show off his new look. The truth is, when I found Varian on the prison barge, I learned something _extremely concerning_...about my father. Something that has told me that he has finally gone too far, and must be removed from his throne."  
  
The crowd gasped again, with more concerned murmurs. Rapunzel waited for them to settle down before she went on. "I know, I know. It's a very concerning topic, and very sudden and unexpected of me. But, I am _done_ with pretending everything is happy and safe here in Corona. It's _not_. Not as long as my father sits upon the throne. Varian has a very concerning testimony for you all about how my father treated him after the blizzard, after his father was...trapped." She frowned. "And I want to make this _very clear_ : Varian. Never. Attacked. Me. That. Night. Nigel and my father spread the rumor _falsely_ to isolate him for their own purposes."  
  
More murmurs followed, and Varian turned to Varian. "Are you ready?"  
  
He clutched at his papers anxiously, then nodded, stepping forward. "If you all are willing to hear me out," he said, interrupting their murmurs, "I have a story to tell you. Starting with the night of the blizzard." He swallowed nervously, then took a deep breath before he continued. "The day of the blizzard, I was trying to find out how to get rid of the rocks by using alchemy, per Rapunzel's request. I was about to test a new solution when my father came in and scolded me for going near the rocks, something he had told me over and over to not do. But, of course, when _the Princess_ asks you to do something...heh. Anyways, we...we fought about it. See, my father knew what the rocks were, but had been keeping silent for the King." He looked at his father, who nodded, before he went on. "My father is from the Dark Kingdom, where the Moonstone was kept hidden for centuries from the world. The Moonstone had destroyed his homeland and he fled to Corona. When King Frederic took the Sundrop Flower, it allowed the Moonstone's power to enter into Corona. Black rocks grew at the site of the Sundrop Flower. My father knew that this would happen and tried to warn him, but he didn't listen. Of course, if he _had_ , we wouldn't have Rapunzel." He looked at her. "So...I'm not going to say 'I wish he hadn't taken it'." He looked back at the crowd.  
  
Rapunzel smiled adoringly at him.  
  
Varian closed his eyes, steeling himself. "But, the King knew of what had occurred as a result, and yet he did _nothing_ to prevent Rapunzel getting to the monument beyond simply ordering her to stay in the Kingdom. As you all know, she is...very curious. After having a _really_ bad day, she left the castle and Kingdom briefly and went to the monument of the Sundrop Flower. I didn't ask why she went." He smirked at her and she shrugged helplessly. "I guess she was just exploring. That night, she found the black rocks that had sprouted and touched one of them. As a result, her hair grew, turned blonde, and the Moonstone used its power to protect her - it'd found her. But, before it could fully connect with her, she fled in terror. I mean, wouldn't _you_?"  
  
The crowd awkwardly chuckled their assent.  
  
"She had _no idea_ what would happen afterwards, but her _father_ did. And instead of telling her the truth, he simply told her to stay away from the rocks from then on and locked her up or distracted her while the black rocks spread out and ravaged the countryside. A week after touching the rocks, Rapunzel came to me to see if I could figure out why her hair was suddenly indestructible. Honestly, she, uh, picked a _terrible_ time to visit, since I was actively testing out _two_ new alchemy solutions and couldn't really _afford_ the distraction, but when the _Princess_...well, you get the picture." He shrugged helplessly. "While helping her, I also got a visit from my idol _Flynn Rider_ , which was, of course, more distractions for my _already_ distracted mind. As a result, I discovered that I'd made a miscalculation too late and, too eager to impress, didn't fix the problem in time because I was _multitasking_ like _crazy_. My invention blew up, damaged the town, and the Princess and her friends left." He swallowed back his nervousness, his expression grim. "An hour after they left, a black rock was found in the village. And then they kept sprouting. I don't know why they were focused on my village...maybe because of _me,_ " he lifted a strand of his hair pointedly, then went on, "but the rocks kept growing. And I wouldn't see Rapunzel again until the science expo which...I won't recount, pretty sure everyone here remembers it. After _that_ disaster, I showed Rapunzel a cluster of black rocks that had appeared outside my village. She told me to keep quiet about it, that her father had forbidden anyone talking about it, and then asked me to help her find out what they were and how to stop them. I agreed, despite my father telling me to stay away from the rocks."  
  
Rapunzel looked ashamed of herself, knowing what was coming next as Varian went on. "That brings us to the blizzard, the next time I saw Rapunzel. The beginning of the end." His voice shook and he cleared his throat before taking a deep breath and then slowly releasing it. "As I said, my father and I fought about him hiding what he knew about the rocks. About how he lied to the King about how we needed more land for harvest, not..." He clenched the papers tightly and Clyde walked over and took his hand gently.  
  
"Hey, gonna cut in a bit, give him some time to prepare mentally." Clyde waved to the crowd. "Name's Clyde, I'm from Old Corona, me and my dad. We evacuated after the storm, but we're back now. By the time of the blizzard, between when the Princess visited and the blizzard, the black rocks had grown at a horrific rate. Homes were destroyed, animals killed, people _impaled_ , and all we could do was try to work around it because it was indestructible and no one knew what to do. Varian studied them per the Princess's request and against his father's orders and finally compiled enough data that he thought he could present it to the King. He and his father went to the Capital together, because we couldn't avoid the rocks anymore and needed _help_."  
  
"But, when he went to the Capital with his father, he wasn't allowed to present it and was left out in the hall, where he heard him lie to my father." Rapunzel said, finishing the story. "I found Varian out in the hall and asked about what was wrong. Varian told me that the situation with the rocks had gotten...bad, but he didn't say...he didn't say _all that_." She looked horrified. "I told him that I couldn't help him then, but once my father came back from his holiday with my mother, we'd figure out the rock problem. Then he left, and I started my day of being Queen when my parents left. And it was....it was bad. I was...you all know how bad I was. So many mistakes...I was overwhelmed. And then...then Varian came to see me." She looked at Varian, prompting him to continue the story.  
  
Varian's head was bowed, his body shaking, and then he took a shuddering breath and slowly released it until he felt calm enough to continue. "After our fight, my father went to leave, but hesitated and took off his glove for a reason I...didn't know until later. Turns out, he was part of a sect sworn to protect the Moonstone, the Brotherhood, and the mark of it was hidden under his glove. He turned back to me and realized the solution I'd spilled on the rock when he came in and startled me was changing the rock into something else that was creeping towards me. He pushed me out of the way, and...I was safe, but he'd been caught by it. I didn't know what to do, and I fled for help. I put on my winter coat, grabbed my bag and ran miles and miles to Corona Capital to reach Rapunzel." He swallowed back the painful lump in his throat. "I was so full of hope...that things would be okay. When I got there, though, she turned me away. To add insult to injury, _Nigel_ had me be thrown out when I was clinging to Rapunzel and shaking her, you know, like desperate kids _do_. I was thrown out into the blizzard by those two guards who are never seen apart from each other, Stan and Pete, and told to go home. I tried in vain to get back in, but finally gave up and ran back home when my hands started to hurt from all the pounding on the door I'd been doing. So, back through the miles of blizzard I went, only it was even _worse_ this time. I still don't know _for sure_ how I survived it."  
  
He shuddered and his father placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "When I got back...dad was trapped. I cried by his side for hours until the blizzard had stopped, then swore that I'd get him out, no matter the cost, no matter _what_ I had to do. He was all I had...all I had left. In the morning, Clyde came to my door to see if we were evacuating with everyone else, the storm was the final straw, and I told him that we had a lot of packing to do and we'd be leaving later. Then I watched as everyone else packed up and left before I went back to the capital to try to get help. The people of Old Corona were already grieving, and how was I going to explain what happened to my father to them? So I let them leave and went to the Capital for help, but found out that they had been...that _you all_ had been told that I had attacked Princess Rapunzel. I was..." He shook his head. "I won't go into that. You know what you did." He said coldly.  
  
To their credit, the crowd of people actually looked ashamed of their behavior. He sighed heavily and went on. "A week later, I gave on up on trying. The day after I gave up, I woke up to find strange, masked men in my village. Identical iron masks...identical tunics....completely identical, no way to tell who was who. It was disorienting. I tried to ignore them, at first, but every time I stepped outside, they would tell me to go back inside. I would dodge around them, they'd give chase, and the most cruel and twisted game of 'tag' would commence...every day...for the next six weeks."   
  
He bit his lip, fighting back the tears. "I was corralled into my own home. No one came to check on me, no one came to see why I would've ran for help through a blizzard. I was caught, beaten and dragged back if I didn't make my way back on my own. I found out that I wasn't allowed to leave, I wasn't allowed to starve myself, they force-fed me when I tried, and trying to kill myself was also off the board. I was in a desperate situation with no way out, and they were relentless. All I knew for sure was that The King sent them. I finally managed to send a message to Rapunzel by attaching a message to a kite and hoping it'll reach her. It did, miraculously, and she came and found the item I told her to get. I didn't even bother trying to tell her to save me. At that point, I'd given up hoping for rescue. But, while evading them, she managed to hurt them and remove their helmets and I found out that the Royal Guard were my..." he cringed, "keepers."  
  
He shuddered. "Anyways, uhm, while I was being corralled, I had found this...mood potion that washed downriver. Don't litter, guys." He chuckled awkwardly. "Never know, some...mentally unstable kid might pick up your litter and turn it into a truth serum. Heh. And...yeah, after...after all that, I was...I was unstable. I _still_ am, a little. I don't know when I'll be able to heal fully from...from that." He sniffled a bit, then shook his head. He wouldn't cry. Not in front of these people.  
  
"You all know what happened after that, so I'll spare you the story of my increasing criminal record...and get to the part you need to hear. After my trial, Princess Rapunzel left. I was moved from the safe, solitary holding cell and taken down to High-Security. I'm guessing most of you don't know about it, but it's where people like me and the Saporians get taken to. Speaking of Saporians, my cellmate was Andrew of Saporia. Yeah." He cleared his throat. "The guards there are all ex-convicts that were considered too useful to kill, but couldn't be allowed out into society. Yeah. They sent me, a _kid_ down there." He paused for the murmurs that started, then sighed. "Many of them were actually among my...keepers, the masked men that hounded me for weeks. One of them was especially cruel, and he had... _intentions_ for me, you know, the...adult kind that kids shouldn't ever have to endure. Andrew arranged to take everything they intended for me onto himself, to protect me. I'm...grateful for him. He was the _one adult_ I'd met that horrible year that hadn't _lied to me_ or _abandoned me to be hurt_."  
  
Rapunzel, Eugene and Cassandra all winced. Even Quirin looked guilty. Several members of the crowd looked uncomfortable.  
  
He chuckled bitterly. "It was _hell_ down there. They toyed with us physically, mentally, and emotionally...but the worst part was when the King came down to visit me and pulled me into an interrogation room by myself. He was joined by several guards, and they chained me to a table and I was forced to listen to the King offer me false apologies for my treatment down here....then he offered to give me better lodgings elsewhere, off the books, if I worked for him as his private, secret alchemist and built him weapons and made him potions to use against his enemies. I refused, and he..." he swallowed back bile, "he had me _whipped_."  
  
Cue the horrified gasps and cries of disbelief. He knew _that_ would happen. Rapunzel pulled out her journal silently and turned the pages to a particular one as Varian went on. "This happened once a month for seven months straight, until I was sent off on the prison barge with everyone else. He'd offer, I'd refuse, he'd have me whipped, and I'd be barely patched up before I was sent back to my cell and subjected to more hell."  
  
Rapunzel cleared her throat. "Varian can't show you right now, but his back is... _covered_ in scars from my father's...from the whip." She turned the Journal to them. "This is a drawing I made of his back, after being shown it myself."  
  
The crowd shifted a bit as people moved forward to try to see the picture better. Varian closed his eyes and he felt his father gently wrap his arms around him.  
  
"If this is true...then the King has truly lost his mind!" Someone cried.  
  
"He _has_ been a little... _extreme_ since Princess Rapunzel's kidnapping." Someone added.  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "Thank you, Varian, for your testimony."  
  
He nodded and stepped back and Clyde and his father stepped back with him to stand with the rest of the Brotherhood. Rapunzel stepped forward. "We don't often get the chance to hear about the level of cruelty shown to our prisoners, especially not the level of prisoner that Varian was. And, now that we have, and looking at how my father ran this Kingdom before I was found, I think it's time to take him off the throne. My father is clearly mentally unstable, and _he_ doesn't have the excuse of being terrorized into losing his mind like Varian does."  
  
"Actually," Varian spoke up, "according to Andrew, this is actually a practice of the royal family since King Herz Der Sonne's time. Frederic's forebears were just better at covering their tracks. But, I think that Rapunzel will be a refreshing change for an actual true and honestly _good_ Corona. Let's work towards a Corona we can be proud of, with the embodiment of the Sun itself on the throne!" He threw up his fist.  
  
"Long Live Queen Rapunzel!" Lance called from the crowd.  
  
"Long Live Queen Rapunzel!" Someone else cheered.  
  
"Long Live Queen Rapunzel!" Rippled through the crowd.  
  
Rapunzel threw up a fist. "Let's take down my father and start a new age for Corona! It's time for a revolution!"  
  
Cheers filled the basement and Rapunzel smiled brightly at them all.  
  
\--  
  
Of course, this was only half the city, but it was enough, she thought. Enough to make some measure of difference against her father.  
  
Now they just had to start spreading the rumors and propaganda to tell everyone else. But, for now, they could celebrate this small victory. She watched as Varian walked over to the people hesitantly and they gathered around him, apologizing, asking if he's alright, one or two asked about his clothes and he laughed and said "Magic!" with a tired but relieved smile.  
  
Queen Arianna walked over to Rapunzel and smiled. "Look at them, Rapunzel. These are your people, your loyal subjects, and the ones who truly care about the light in Corona."  
  
Rapunzel nodded, looking out at them. "We'll get the others to care."  
  
Queen Arianna nodded, smiling fondly at Varian's smile. Hector was lurking near him, looking antsy, and Rapunzel giggled a bit when Hector pulled Varian back from an overeager hugger.  
  
"It's going to be alright." Rapunzel nodded. "I feel it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to weaken the King's hold on everyone else!
> 
> ((A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! It's time for a new age, the Age of Rapunzel!))


	45. Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Captain is faced with a difficult choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

After the meeting concluded, most of the people dispersed at sparse intervals to get home unnoticed. Xavier sat with Varian, listening to him recount his adventure excitedly.  
  
"Getting back to Old Corona may be tricky." Xavier said kindly after Varian finished telling the story and let out a yawn. "And young Varian seems to be tired. Why don't you rest here tonight and I will take you all to Old Corona with me in a cart tomorrow?"  
  
"We carefully locked away any trace that he was back..." Clyde said thoughtfully. "And he is pretty much falling asleep on his feet."  
  
"Nooo, I can make it back." Varian stood up, stumbled, and bumped into Eugene, who chuckled a bit.  
  
"Nope, you're so gone you're taking a trip to dreamland already." He lifted Varian into his arms and carried him over to a bed in the corner Quirin set up for him. "Just be good and sleep here, okay?" He looked at Rapunzel. "We better get to the castle before it gets dark."  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "My father will be back soon."  
  
"Be safe." Varian said sleepily.  
  
Rapunzel walked over and knelt down to hug him. "Stay safe, okay? I'll see you later."  
  
Varian nodded, then watched as she left with Eugene and Cassandra, everyone else having already left.  
  
Xavier sighed and settled down next to him. "So, your raccoon is a transformed human?"  
  
"Mmhm. Apparently." Varian nodded. "I don't really get it, but he saved us, so...he's a good guy."  
  
Ruddiger climbed up on his chest and curled up to sleep.  
  
\--  
  
Quirin was out right now, it seemed. King Frederic let himself into the manor and looked around for any sign of the teenager, but he didn't see anything. Then again, Varian was as good as _he_ was at acting innocent and covering his tracks. He checked the bedrooms and paused when he finally saw evidence of someone being here - the bed had been used recently. He doubted that his father would sleep on his son's bed, and he'd expressly told the guard to not touch the bedrooms. He walked around and swiped his finger on a few things, finding dust on some but not on others. Then he swiftly left for Varian's lab.  
  
"Your Majesty, is this right?" The Captain asked.  
  
He'd once asked him this before, when he first gave the order to keep Varian confined to Old Corona. A steely look his direction silenced him as it did before and he opened the door, walking in.  
  
Right away, he knew that someone had been in here. Well, obviously, since Rapunzel had been there with her friends and they'd freed Quirin. He doubted they would stay in Varian's room, though. He noticed the dust on the desks was gone, however, and Rapunzel had no reason to touch those. The alchemy set had also seen some use. The boy was back in Corona, then. Rapunzel had brought him...home.  
  
"Your Majesty," the Captain tried again.  
  
"Varian has returned." He said calmly, then turned to the Captain. "I want him found and I want him locked up. I should've just locked him away in that bunker in the first place, _screw_ his consent. Now he's loose and filling my daughter's head with _ideas_."  
  
\--  
  
Captain Solomon felt uncomfortable, and he walked away from his King to walk through the house again. He reached Quirin's bedroom and paused, pushing open the door to find himself staring at a family portrait by the window looking out over the town. He walked up to the painting, looking up into blue eyes that glinted with mischief even as she looked adoringly at the child in their arms.  
  
He could still recall it like it was yesterday. He had been sent out to investigate an explosion in Old Corona and found a barn on fire, with two women frantically trying to put it out, covered in soot and laughing awkwardly. He'd ordered his men to surround the women, who looked up in alarm. It occurred to The Captain that they weren't using water from a well, but were conjuring water and wind to put the fire out with...magic. Golden Saporian necklaces glinted on their chests as they moved closer together, their magic water dropping onto the building and dousing the flames.  
  
They had surrounded them swiftly, and he'd grabbed hold of the redhead while another of his men grabbed the woman with silver hair. They couldn't be older than 20 at the most. He could vividly recall that moment, because he'd seen the outfit so often the past year. Her young son had decided to wear his mother's old clothes, probably to try to feel close to her, and he wore it every day that Captain Solomon saw him, even during those six weeks of confinement.  
  
He had been on the verge of hauling her away as she stammered excuses and apologies and desperate pleas when a man in dark armor came in on a black horse, saw what was going on, and leaped off the horse with sword drawn to fight to free the women. He'd released her and ended up with a sword at his throat. He was about to call for backup when Prince Frederic, who had followed them against his father's orders, had recognized the man and ordered them all to stand down.  
  
That was the day that Quirin came to live in Old Corona. He moved into the house the Saporian women occupied and eventually was given the role of mayor of Old Corona, and they all moved into the old manor. Then King Harold died of a sickness he gained while away from the Kingdom, Prince Frederic became King Frederic, and he announced that alchemy was no longer illegal and non-Separatist Saporians could now live at peace in Corona. A year later, Quirin and the red-haired woman, Ulla, married. A short time later, her friend Donella left Corona and didn't return until a few years later, when she coaxed Ulla into leaving with her.  
  
A fact he only knew because he was there when Quirin told King Frederic while distressed, his young son in his arms.  
  
When his wife had disappeared, he was devastated. He didn't want to know how he felt about Varian's mistreatment and descent into villainy - and he was sure that, if the King was right, Varian had told him everything.  
  
 _Everything._ He glanced over at Lucas, who was standing outside looking up at the place. For _some_ reason, he could never actually _enter_ it. He'd heard of Saporian wards that could keep out evil, and he was pretty sure Lucas fit the description. He'd even heard rumor that he _wasn't human_ , and he was inclined to believe it.  
  
He only hoped that he had been able to help him retain his sanity at least a little bit. He did what he could for the child, without risking treason. But hadn't the poor boy suffered enough? Now that his father was home, he wouldn't be hurting anyone, so why go after him again? He did his time, didn't he? He didn't know how he got back to Corona, but he was sure that the Princess had taken him from the prison barge when she found him there, a show of compassion when her father wasn't around to stop her.  
  
He sighed as he looked up at the picture again. "...If you had to choose between your King and what's right...what would _you_ do?" He murmured. "Ulla."  
  
"Captain." The King called, and he walked out to rejoin him.  
  
\--  
  
When King Frederic got home, Rapunzel and Arianna greeted him with open arms as they did before the whole...Varian mess started. But he couldn't get the image of Rapunzel holding hands with that little _traitor_ out of his mind and he made the excuse of being tired to get away from her and her little traitor-holding hands. The Captain left his side, but Lucas stayed by him and he could _swear_ that he saw Rapunzel _glare_ at the guard. In fact, he looked back to see Rapunzel walking up to the guard and speaking in a low, aggressive tone, to which Lucas just laughed and patted her head before following King Frederic.  
  
"What was _that_ about?" He asked as they walked.  
  
"She dropped by my vacation home by chance and apparently decided she didn't like me." Lucas smirked back at Rapunzel, who was fuming after him.  
  
"What a shame, you're a very pleasant guy." King Frederic chuckled.  
  
"Mm, well," he leaned in to whisper, "she had _Varian_ with her, and I _teased_ him a little."  
  
"Ahh." King Frederic nodded. _That_ explained the animosity.  
  
\--  
  
"Dad."  
  
The Captain set down his helmet and turned to see Cassandra standing in the doorway of his room. He smiled and opened his arms and she ran forward to hug him. It wasn't often they had moments like this, but a year away called for this. "Welcome home, my dear daughter." He said softly.  
  
She tensed a bit, then pulled away slightly. "Uhm...dad, there's something I need to tell you." She said, looking up at him.  
  
He looked concerned, then walked over to close the door and lock it for privacy before he closed the window and turned to her. "What is it? Is everything alright?"  
  
"Well..." She sighed, fidgeting with her tunic awkwardly. "I...I met my _real_ dad. And found out who my mom is... _was_."  
  
"Oh." He said softly. "And yet...you came back to me?"  
  
"W-Well, he's _also_ in Corona. He came back with me." She looked up at him. "Dad...uhm...I'm going to ask you a question, and I want your honest answer. If you had to choose between King Frederic and...and _me_ , which would you pick?"  
  
His brow furrowed. "Why are you asking this?"  
  
"I can't tell you until I know your answer. If you were ordered by King Frederic to lock me up, _would_ you?" Cassandra asked anxiously.  
  
He stepped back, his expression conflicted. He looked at her, then at the painting of King Frederic hanging in his room. Clearly, Cassandra was leading up to something, something big and quite possibly life-altering. Depending on his answer, he would lose her, or their bond would strengthen. He thought about it seriously, closing his eyes. He thought about the years spent taking care of her, raising this beautiful, brilliant child that wasn't even his own, the daughter of a kidnapping witch. He tried to imagine facing her in combat, but all he could see was her face as she pleaded with him not to strike her. And he imagined himself raising his sword against her, ordering her to surrender, just as he had done to Ulla all those years ago, to many criminals over the years...and he couldn't do it. His words caught in his throat, his sword wouldn't raise, he couldn't fight her. The King could be standing there ordering him to strike, but he could not fight her. Not his little girl.  
  
"...I would choose you." He said softly, opening his eyes and looking at her. "But, Cassandra...why do you ask me this?"  
  
Cassandra sighed with relief and walked up to him. "...Varian...isn't on the prison barge anymore. He's here in Corona with his uncle, who is my father, and other members of his family. They're..." She glanced away. " _We_ are...planning a revolution. King Frederic is....he's not _safe_ for the people. Surely, you've noticed this?"  
  
"...I have." He said softly. "I noticed it a long time ago, but the biggest evidence was when he ordered me to lead a team and corral a child to his ruined hometown, when he'd done nothing wrong. I don't believe that he would harm the Princess, but I _do_ believe that the King and Nigel have their own...agendas."  
  
She took his hands in hers. "Rapunzel...could _really_ use you on her side, dad. Will you stand with us?"  
  
"And commit treason against the King I have served faithfully for...decades?" He pulled away and walked over to look out the window with a grim expression.  
  
"If we don't, Corona will continue to suffer." She walked over to him.  
  
The Captain closed his eyes. "...He knows Varian is home."  
  
She gasped. "How?!"  
  
"I don't know for sure. He went somewhere with Lucas, one of the guards in High-Security, and came back hours later to continue his patrol. Then he suddenly said he wanted to check on Old Corona and so we went there. He bypassed the rest of the village and went straight to Quirin's home, searching for...I don't know, probably evidence Varian was back, because he searched his room and then his lab before telling me that Varian had returned and he wanted him caught and locked up. He said something about a bunker..." He turned to her, seeing her horrified expression. "Cassandra?"  
  
"He must've been told about Rapunzel joining up with Varian by Lucas. Dad, he's a Disciple of Zhan Tiri, just like Sugracha, who nearly tricked Rapunzel into summoning the demon Zhan Tiri a year ago. He was released from the Demanitus Device when we turned it on during the blizzard, just like her. And there's another one here as well that he brought to Corona, but I haven't seen him here yet." She walked over to stand next to him. "Dad, our King is _consorting with demons_."  
  
"Yes...yes, it appears so." He said grimly, then straightened up, his hands behind his back. "Someone should keep an eye on the situation, someone he trusts. I will take that difficult role."  
  
"So...?" Cassandra looked at him hopefully.  
  
"I will stand with you." He smiled sadly. "But, I cannot promise I can raise a sword against my King."  
  
"Just so long as you don't raise it against Varian, either." Cassandra nodded, then looked out the window. "...Varian...told me about you helping him during that difficult time. It must've been painful to be told you couldn't protect him anymore, that he was being locked away in High-Security."  
  
Captain Solomon nodded. "...What is your real father like?"  
  
Cassandra chuckled. "Well, uh...he's a warrior. He's a member of the Brotherhood, sworn to protect the Moonstone. It's the counterpart to the Sundrop. Actually..." she smiled at him, "it's also Varian. I'm sure your helping him however you could will earn you some points with my dad. I'd introduce you, but..."  
  
"Not at this time." The Captain nodded. "But, I will be... _happy_ to meet the man that helped bring you into the world when this is all over."  
  
Cassandra sighed and leaned her head on his arm. "Thanks, dad." She stepped back. "I should go see if the Princess needs anything."  
  
He chuckled. "The work never ends, hm?"  
  
"Crime doesn't sleep and neither does the Princess, apparently." Cassandra grinned and walked to the door. She paused, looked back at him with a grateful smile, then opened it and walked out, closing the door behind her.  
  
Captain Solomon turned back to the window, sighing softly.  
  
"How very touching."  
  
He gasped and turned to see Lucas standing behind him. "You--how--how long--"  
  
"Oh, don't worry. I won't tell the King about your foolish choice." He chuckled. "That's not how the game is played, after all."  
  
"Game?" The Captain frowned.  
  
"I want to see the look on His Majesty's face when you inevitably betray him to protect your daughter and the little bird." Lucas grinned in a creepily-wide way that would be painful for any normal human to pull off. "I'll admit, I'm not much of a family man. But, _clearly_ , it can come with some entertaining moments." He walked up to him and Captain Solomon stepped back, watching as the man's ice-blue eyes turned into a solid green color. "Be careful how you make your next move, Captain. The King may not hold back against his friends anymore."  
  
"Get out." The Captain hissed.  
  
Lucas chuckled and patted his cheek. "Don't be so _angry_ , Captain. You wouldn't want the King to _catch on_ , would you?" He cackled and stepped back, disappearing in a burst of green fire as his laughter echoed behind him.  
  
The Captain let out a shuddering breath and turned towards Old Corona. "...I need to find out how to make those wards." He murmured. "Perhaps they are in her belongings..."  
  
He clutched at the curtains and closed them with a rough tug, his body shaking with fear for the future as he slumped to his knees. "Cassandra...please, be safe, my daughter." He whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What "game" is Lucas playing here?! And where the heck is Tromus?


	46. Rumors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word is spread to anyone that didn't attend the meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

The night passed calmly, with half of the city unable to sleep and instead staying up working on flyers. No one told them to do it, they just did it. Everyone had their own way of writing it, their own illustrations. Some of them talked about the King ignoring the rocks, some of them talked about the masked men, some of them talked about the time when Rapunzel was kidnapped, but they made sure, all of them, not to talk about seeing Varian, or about his back.   
  
And the next morning, these flyers and posters and leaflets were set loose on the unsuspecting citizens, thrown out of windows, pasted on the walls, flying out of carts as they passed through a busy morning marketplace.  
  
And pandemonium broke out.  
  
People were storming the castle gates, demanding answers. The sound was so loud that it was heard even in Xavier's basement below and Rapunzel's bedroom high above.  
  
"This wasn't quite as planned." Cassandra said, looking down at the angry mob.  
  
"No, we planned to be a little more discreet about it..." Rapunzel frowned. "We need to get out to Xavier's."  
  
"We'll have to take the tunnels, there's no way we're getting out the door with the mob there." Cassandra pursed her lips. "They acted so needlessly..."  
  
"He _really_ had to tell them everything, didn't he?" Rapunzel sighed heavily. "In retrospect, maybe we should've talked about what to share."  
  
"Hey, it's our fault for calling for a revolution and not telling them to wait for orders. Let's get out of here, we can't even get to the mob to tell them to disperse right now." She went to the door and opened it, gasping sharply when she saw who was on the other side.  
  
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Lucas purred in his Royal Guard disguise. "His Majesty has ordered for us to keep you in here, for your safety. After all, the people are _very_ angry." He smirked.  
  
"Move aside, Lucas. We don't want any of your _games_ today." Rapunzel said furiously.  
  
"The only 'games' here, Princess, is your little revolution falling apart because you underestimated just how far unchecked outrage can go." Lucas said mockingly. "But, hey, maybe you'll find another way out. After all," he reached out and gripped some of her hair, earning a wince, "you have _such long hair_ , and it's not like it's your first time leaving by window, is it?"  
  
She forced him to let go and stepped back. "As if I'd take _your_ advice."  
  
"Well, then I suppose you're not going anywhere." He smirked. "A maid will be up soon to bring you your breakfast. Your mother, by the way, is also being confined to her chambers for her safety. So, you're not alone in this." He grabbed the door handle. "By the way, Cassandra, your father is down there trying to quell the mob. Wish him luck." He grinned.  
  
"Wait." Cassandra reached out a hand to stop him from opening it. "You've messed with their minds, haven't you? Made them act irrational. You _want_ something."  
  
He chuckled darkly. "What could I possibly want, hm?"  
  
"If you didn't want us to succeed, you'd have just told my father. You're planning something, or you want us to do something in return for being set free." Rapunzel frowned.  
  
"Well, start offering." He purred.  
  
She growled. "Whatever it is, you can forget it!" She slammed the door shut.  
  
"Temper, temper, little Sundrop." He cooed on the other side of the door.  
  
Rapunzel stormed over to the window and opened it, looking out. "The guards are all distracted...alright, we're getting out." She untied her hair.  
  
Cassandra frowned. "We're following his advice?"  
  
"It's all we _can_ do." She looped her hair around the railing. "If we want to get out and stop the mob."  
  
"Wait, look!" Cassandra pointed to the mob.  
  
They saw cloaked figures moving towards them from the town and then a green smoke went off before everyone, citizen and Royal Guard, collapsed. Then they saw the Brotherhood come out and haul people two at a time away and back to their homes while a smaller cloaked figure directed them where to take them.  
  
"Wow, look at them go."  
  
Rapunzel yelped and turned to see Lucas standing behind her. "You--get out!"  
  
"Relax, I'm just enjoying the show. He really knows everything about everyone, huh?" Lucas smiled fondly as they watched more cloaked people join them, hauling everyone back to their homes.  
  
Soon enough, between all of the cloaked people and the Brotherhood, the gates were clear of the mob, the Royal Guard were lying fast asleep in the courtyard beyond the gates and then they saw them taking down the posters and flyers and picking up the leaflets.  
  
"Well played." Lucas whistled and walked out of Rapunzel's room.  
  
Rapunzel watched him go, then looked over as the Brotherhood and cloaked figures all disappeared out of sight.  
  
"They work fast." Cassandra said in awe, then headed out to go and check on the Captain and the others.  
  
Rapunzel sighed, pulled her hair free and followed her out, tying up her hair as she went.  
  
\--  
  
"How did _that_ happen?" Varian asked. "Do they _not_ know how a revolution _works_? You don't just blindly mob the castle!"  
  
"It wasn't just them." Rapunzel said as she came in with Cassandra. "Lucas manipulated them so they were irrational. He's back in the castle and causing trouble. He wanted us to offer him something for him to remove the spell he cast on them, thank goodness you guys all came out and handled the problem!"  
  
"Yeah, that could've been really bad." Andrew said, pulling the hood off his cloak. "Old Corona is being watched again, we're going to have to be sneaky if we're going to get back into there."  
  
Rapunzel sighed. "Xavier, call a secret town meeting again. If people want answers, I will give them. Once we have the full support, we will make our move."  
  
"We intended for the rumors to just leak out, this is a _mess_." Clyde shook his head.  
  
"We'll figure it out." Adira assured him.  
  
"When should we have it?" Xavier asked calmly.  
  
"As soon as possible. We can't risk another wild mob." Rapunzel said firmly.  
  
"What did that creep _want_ , anyway?" Hector asked.  
  
"Probably for us to use our imaginations and figure it out." Cassandra frowned.  
  
"Hey, have anyone seen Tromus yet?" Eugene asked. "We've seen Lucas, but where the heck is his, uh, brother? He called him a brother, right?"  
  
Ruddiger tilted his head from side to side from where he was sitting on Varian's makeshift bed.  
  
"And as cute as he is, is there _anything_ that can be done about his, uh, raccoon-ness?" Eugene asked, looking at Andrew. "Maybe at least give him human speech?"  
  
"I can ask Kline." Andrew shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, 'cause, I feel like there's a _lot_ this little guy could help us with if he could actually, you know, speak and...do human things." Eugene walked over to scratch Ruddiger behind the ear. He rolled over and exposed his belly and he gave him scratches there.  
  
"Somehow, I think he prefers being a raccoon." Hector said with amusement.  
  
"He said before that it was dangerous for them to know he's here." Varian said softly. "I wouldn't want to put him in danger."  
  
"I'm just saying, maybe he can help us more if he--ow, claws!" Eugene jerked his hand back. "You know, maybe pull some weight, give us a hint or something?"  
  
Ruddiger stared up at him, then sat up and did motions with his little hands.  
  
"...Yeah, I'm at a loss." Eugene shrugged.  
  
"It's sign language, Eugene." Varian walked over and picked Ruddiger up. "Look, Ruddiger helps out in his own way, but if he doesn't want to be human again, then why should we force him to be?  
  
Eugene sighed. "I guess. I just wonder if maybe he's got some big secret knowledge that he's not telling us."  
  
"Let's focus on the actual threats. Where the heck is Tromus?" Varian walked off with Ruddiger on his shoulders. "He's gotta be in Corona somewhere, maybe Lucas is hiding him."  
  
"We're trying to focus the compass on his particular energy signal, but it's difficult when Lucas is reading as stronger." Floyd said apologetically.  
  
Rapunzel looked over her shoulder anxiously. "I need to be getting back. Xavier, please send me a message when you have everyone gathered."  
  
"Of course, Princess. Be safe." Xavier nodded.  
  
Rapunzel nodded and and turned to Eugene. "Why don't you come back with us this time? My father was asking about you."  
  
Eugene cringed. "It's...honestly pretty hard for me to look at him without punching him."  
  
"Try?" Rapunzel pleaded.  
  
"He's going to suspect something's up if you don't show up." Varian told him.  
  
Eugene sighed. "...Fine."  
  
"Rapunzel." Andrew walked over to her and pulled out a mirror. "So you can be told discreetly about everyone gathering."  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "Thank you." She accepted the mirror and put it in her bag. "Be safe."  
  
"You too." Varian nodded. "Don't give in to Lucas, no matter what he does."  
  
Rapunzel and Cassandra nodded, and then Cassandra hugged Hector tightly before they headed back out with Eugene. Rapunzel looked over her shoulder at Varian as the wall closed between them.  
  
'Just a little longer.' She thought. 'Soon, I'll have you able to walk the streets freely again.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things have calmed down, for now, but can they get Frederic off the throne before Lucas pulls any more tricks?
> 
> ((A/N: I have had the worst case of Creative Block today, both writing AND drawing have been a complete chore! Oof, sorry if this chapter is a drag to get through...))


	47. Rise Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel makes her move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Lucas' sabotaging their propaganda told them that they couldn't wait much longer to make a move. "If we risk getting the word out again, a lot of innocent people could get hurt when he manipulates their protest into a riot again." Varian said grimly as he drew on a scroll. "Now they're _expecting_ a frontal attack."  
  
"So, what do we do?" Hector asked.  
  
Varian got up and walked over to a table and set down a scroll he'd been drawing on, unrolling it to reveal a map of the Herz Der Sonne tunnels. "We go in from below." He looked up at Rapunzel as she came up next to him. "There are exits from the tunnels all over the castle, not just the vault. We already used the vault before a year ago, so they'll know about that one. So, we'll be sending people to the exits here, here, and here." He pointed to spots on the map as they crowded closer. "Those will come out in the kitchen, the stables and this one is out by the servants' door. Finally, there's _this_ one right here." He pointed to another exit. "This one will come out in the throne room, right behind the King's throne. Key figures should go through this one to catch the King off-guard. He will probably send Queen Arianna away for her safety, but the only ones we want is him are Nigel. Once we take them down, the Castle is ours and Rapunzel can take the throne."  
  
"What if we run into ol' creepy eyes?" Lance asked.  
  
"If Lucas shows up, Clyde and his father will take care of him. That's why they're in here in Corona, after all. Mr. Miller, did you find Tromus yet?"  
  
"No, wherever he is, his aura is masked or else he's in the castle with Lucas." Floyd shook his head.  
  
"Well, we'll handle them if they show up. Let's decide who is going to be going to the throne room. Xavier, release the signal for everyone to gather here. We'll set out through the tunnels as soon as everyone is ready. Can you make sure everyone is armed?" Rapunzel turned to the blacksmith.  
  
"I have weapons and armor already prepared." Xavier assured her.  
  
"Good. Send the signal." Rapunzel nodded.  
  
Xavier bowed on one knee and then headed out to his shop. Once there, he picked up a prepared lantern that was blue with the Sundrop and Moonstone symbols painted on it. Nodding, he set it off and let it lift into the darkening sky. Other lanterns of the same look came out to join it as people made their ways out to Xavier's shop in little groups, filling the basement gradually.  
  
It was time to strike.  
  
\--  
  
Queen Arianna noticed the lanterns lifting into the sky and walked over to where she had hidden her own lantern. She lit it and set it off into the sky, then watched it go silently. The door opened and she turned to see her husband approaching her, looking weary. "Frederic, is everything alright?"  
  
"Of course." He lied, forcing a smile as he hugged her. She fought the urge to push him away, feeling ill as he held her with the same hands that he'd used to order Varian to be so brutally abused in prison. "I didn't see Rapunzel at dinner, have you seen her?"  
  
"She said she wasn't feeling well and requested she be left alone in her room." Queen Arianna said, still smiling. "She's still adjusting to being home, and that riot this morning probably frightened her."  
  
"Yes...she is so very fragile." He released her and walked over to the door. "Walk with me?" He smiled.  
  
She walked out to follow him. "Whatever happened this morning, it seems to be over. Why so tense?" She asked.  
  
"I just...feel uneasy. I fear that the boy is...is not as confined as I thought. And I cannot bear to have him come back and hurt you again." He turned to her. "Who else would be spreading such accusations? This is no different than his little speech before he kidnapped you."  
  
"Frederic, Varian is just a child. There is no reason for you to be so aggressive to him. Yes, he did wrong, but he has done his time. I believe that he's not going to harm anyone." Queen Arianna smiled softly. "You didn't see him, when he had me captive. He was reluctant, he felt he had no other choice—"  
  
"You don't know the boy like I do, Arianna." He said grimly. "That child is no ordinary child. That boy..." he turned to her, "...is _dangerous_. Far more dangerous than any of us could comprehend. Everything about him; his heritage, his abilities, his advanced mind, and I have reason to suspect that he may have magic powers of his own - he's dangerous!"  
  
"His heritage?" She asked.  
  
"The boy is the son of a Seperatist of Saporia that Quirin convinced me to spare from prison. It's in their blood to attack our family, our people!" He said furiously.  
  
"Frederic...you're frightening me." She said, stepping back.  
  
He took a shuddering breath and released it. "It is for the better that he is gone, but I suspect he may not be as gone as I thought. He's too resourceful, I shouldn't have sent him on the barge!" He shook his head and walked on.  
  
"...Frederic..." She sighed and looked out a window at the lanterns signaling the attack. She turned and walked on with him, her lips pursed grimly.  
  
\--  
  
To get everyone gathered, told the plan, armed and in armor took all night and by the break of dawn they were giving one last toast for luck and then setting off through the tunnels, each group with a copy of the map Varian had drawn up, their route clearly marked, as well as Communication Mirrors from the Separatists of Saporia.  
  
Rapunzel sighed as she watched her people set off, then turned to those that were left: Andrew, Juniper, Lady Caine, The Brotherhood, King Edmund, Eugene, Cassandra, Clyde, and Varian. The final one walked towards her and held out a hand. "Let's start a new era for Corona." He smiled.  
  
She reached out and took his hand, her hair and eyes glowing at his touch. "For Corona."  
  
They held hands a bit longer, then headed out together for the throne room.  
  
\--  
  
The people had been told to disarm only, no deaths were allowed. Varian hoped that Lucas didn't throw things off. Ruddiger sat around his neck, his eyes glowing green as he and Clyde used their respective abilities to sense for any sign of the Disciples. They guessed that, if Lucas going to show up, he'd be targeting Varian specifically, but they still had Floyd with the group heading for the stables, since it was close to the barracks and prison.  
  
"I can't believe we're actually doing this." Lady Caine said softly. "It's still hard to believe that he's finally going to be removed from his throne."  
  
Andrew smiled and took her hand, gently squeezing it. "Believe it, because this is happening."  
  
"Let's save the tears of relief for later." Varian smiled back at her. "We'll have plenty of time for it, after all."  
  
They both nodded and Rapunzel smiled at Varian and then looked forward as they continued through the tunnel.  
  
\--  
  
Angry, armed and armored townspeople were coming out of the floors like cockroaches. The castle staff fled in terror to bedrooms and the Royal Guard tried to hold them at bay, but were reluctant to strike. "Captain!" Stan cried. "What do we do?!"  
  
"Focus on disarming, do not hurt them! These are our people!" Captain Solomon told them.  
  
"Yeah, but they're an angry mob." Pete said nervously. "Why are they attacking, who's leading them?!"  
  
Captain Solomon looked at the mob and hoped Cassandra was alright.  
  
\--  
  
"My, my, things have gotten quite messy, oui?"  
  
Lucas chuckled as he leaned on Rapunzel's balcony. "You can say that again. Look at them, swarming like locusts."  
  
"When will we make _our_ move?" Tromus asked. "What is zhe plan, exactly?"  
  
"Don't worry, I've got it handled. I just brought you here to watch the show." Lucas assured him.  
  
"What will you do?" Tromus asked.  
  
"Now, I don't want to spoil anything." Lucas chuckled. "Just enjoy the show, but make sure not to be seen by Regulus or the Witchhunters." Lucas left the balcony and headed out the door, humming.  
  
Tromus shrugged and looked down at the growing mob of townspeople meeting in the courtyard. "Zhe Royal Guard doezn't stand a chance." He remarked.  
  
\--  
  
Nigel was starting to feel nervous. Despite all their defenses, the townspeople had made it into the castle and were surrounding the throne room, but they hadn't made a move to enter. King Frederic was tense, but Queen Arianna was as calm and composed as ever. That was something he had always admired about the Queen, to have such grace even in the face of such...impossible danger.   
  
The Royal Guard had been taken down, according to the one man that managed to make into the throne room to barricade the door, and the doors to the throne room were all surrounded. They could hear the swarm of people outside.  
  
And then they heard the sound of stone shifting behind the thrones and everyone in that area quickly got up and moved away from the thrones as the wall behind them opened up and figures stepped out into view. Nigel paled as he recognized the two at the front: Princess Rapunzel and Varian, who was sporting a new look. The Princess and the traitor, coming out together as allies.  
  
"Hello, Your Majesty." Varian said, stepping forward. Rapunzel walked forward with him and those in the tunnel behind them spread out around the room, one of them grabbing onto the guard that had managed to escape the swarm and holding him in place.  
  
Nigel looked around, taking stock of just who they were dealing with: Andrew of Saporia, Lady Caine, the Princess's boyfriend, the Captain's daughter...and he didn't recognize the others at all. But the ones he _did_ recognize, he couldn't believe what he was seeing!  
  
And then...to his shock, Queen Arianna walked forward and stood beside her daughter, facing them.  
  
"Varian..." King Frederic scowled.  
  
"You don't seem too surprised to see me." Varian said, smirking. "Can I take a guess why? Maybe you've made a few new _friends_?"  
  
"Sire?" Nigel looked at his King anxiously.  
  
Rapunzel stepped forward. "Father...no... _King Frederic de Sonne_. When I was being crowned a year ago, I was told that the wearer of the crown is a shining example of the promise that is Corona: an ambassador of goodwill to those visiting from afar, and an inspiration to those fortunate enough to live within her borders. But, above all, the chief responsibility of the crown is to keep the people of Corona safe from dangers near and far." She pointed her frying pan at him aggressively. " _You_ have failed to keep your promise to this Kingdom! You _knowingly_ brought danger to this Kingdom, and then _ignored_ the danger when it arose and attacked the people you _swore_ to protect! Therefore, I hereby proclaim you no longer fit for ruling, and declare you a _traitor_!"  
  
King Frederic stared her down, his eyes narrowed. "And you believe _you_ could do better?"  
  
"I already have. If you had not told me to stay away from the rocks, then they would not have ravaged the countryside. Because of _your actions_ , Old Corona is in ruins! And that's not even getting _started_ on what you chose to do to the only living inhabitant that chose to stay. You falsely imprisoned Varian in his own home, drove him to desperation, spread lies about him and, once you had him in your prison, _beat him_ _every month_ when he refused to essentially be your slave! And even before Varian, you had proven to be mentally unstable, lashing out at any criminals, no matter how small the crime, creating orphans seeking revenge!" She pointed toward Lady Caine and Andrew. "Well, no more, I say! I'm going to right the wrongs that you and our forebears have done! I will _make_ Corona the shining example of goodwill that it _claims_ to be!"  
  
She walked forward and Nigel stepped back, gasping as a feral-looking man grabbed onto him to keep him in place.  
  
"And my first act as the new Queen of Corona is to remove you from the throne and make you pay for _everything_ you have done!" Rapunzel said, raising her chin with a cold expression. "I never thought that I would find someone that was more terrible than Gothel, but YOU, sir, YOU take _the_ _whole bakery_!"  
  
A few of the group went to open the doors and the people crowded in. Nigel whimpered in alarm.  
  
"So..." King Frederic said calmly, "this is your revenge, is it, boy? Turning my daughter, my wife, my entire Kingdom against me."  
  
"It's what you did to me." Varian said calmly. "Once you learned my father was gone, you turned everyone against me and made me the enemy. The difference is, _you_ told a whole lot of lies...but all I've told is the truth."  
  
Rapunzel nodded firmly. "Frederic de Sonne, you are _no longer_ King! The Brotherhood will escort you to the prison to wait to be judged for your trial."  
  
Suddenly, the torches in the room lit up with green flame and people screamed as green fire formed along the walls of the room. Ruddiger hissed and Clyde pulled out his sword, the others doing the same.  
  
"Well, now, this has gone on far enough." A disembodied voice said.  
  
"Lucas." Varian hissed.  
  
"You have a choice to make, Your Majesty." The voice continued.  
  
"What are you planning?!" Rapunzel cried.  
  
Frederic stepped back, his eyes narrowed with pure hatred. "Whatever spell you have cast, boy, I will _break_ it! Lucas! Tell her I accept her offer!" He yelled.  
  
He was suddenly engulfed in green fire and then the flames all went out, leaving all the onlookers stunned. There was no sign of Frederic, or Lucas. Nigel was left alone, held in a tight grip as he whimpered with fear.  
  
"Take him to a holding cell for questioning." Rapunzel ordered. "And bring me the Royal Guard. I want to know who is loyal to my father and who was 'just following orders'. And as for that group of criminals guarding down in High-Security? I want them all locked up and closely guarded."  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty." Eugene and Cassandra both bowed down on one knee. The others followed suit and she turned to see even Varian, Clyde, Andrew, Lady Caine and The Brotherhood had bowed before her.  
  
"I think it's time we actually get you crowned." Her mother told her with a gentle smile. "You did it."  
  
Rapunzel nodded. " _We_ did it. It's time to right the wrongs done to this Kingdom and anyone else by my family."  
  
"Long Live Queen Rapunzel!" Cassandra declared, standing up with a fist raised.  
  
"Long Live Queen Rapunzel!"  
  
"Long Live Queen Rapunzel!"  
  
"Long Live Queen Rapunzel!"  
  
"Long Live Queen Rapunzel!"  
  
The declaration echoed through the halls several times as Rapunzel walked out the throne room doors to stand and face her Kingdom. Her mother walked out with her and Varian came to join her as the people cheered in celebration.  
  
Rapunzel smiled at him and took his hand, holding it high as the rest of their group came to join them.  
  
"It's the dawn of a new Corona!" She declared happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frederic is gone, but how long will he stay away?


	48. Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian takes Lance, Eugene and Cassandra to High-Security to see first-hand what he faced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

With the bloodless revolution over and done with and Nigel and the Royal Guard locked up for questioning, the castle was calmer again. The staff that had hidden came out of hiding and the Royal Physician handed himself in for questioning the next day. While Rapunzel met with Lady Caine and other important figures in town and the criminal world to hear their stories about Frederic's tyranny, Lance, Cassandra and Eugene went down with Varian and Andrew to see the High-Security prison.  
  
"Ugh...smells like death down here." Cassandra said grimly as they stepped through the door.  
  
"You get used to it." Varian and Andrew said in unison.  
  
"I'm surprised Clyde's not here." Eugene said teasingly to Varian.  
  
"He and his father are meeting with the Saporian mages to set up defenses against Zhan Tiri's minions around the city. Ruddiger is with them, too." Varian replied.  
  
They reached his old cell and Varian tensed. Andrew gently placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke words of comfort that the others couldn't hear. Beyond the bars, they could see evidence of someone being here a long time. Equations and marks keeping track of the days littered the wall, scratched out into the stone.   
  
"Oh, geez..." Cassandra moved her hand to her mouth, feeling ill.  
  
"Save that for the interrogation room." Varian advised, walking on with Andrew.  
  
Eugene took a deep breath, then followed him, the others following behind.  
  
Varian approached the door and reached to open it, halting just before he touched the handle. His eyes were wide and his body was trembling. Andrew reached out and took his hand, pulling him close to him and wrapping his arm around his shoulders. "It's okay. You don't have to go in there."  
  
Varian closed his eyes and shook his head. "No...I _do_. I have to overcome this."  
  
Andrew sighed and slowly let go of him, then watched as he reached out and opened the door. As soon as it opened, Cassandra let out a horrified gasp and stepped back. Varian tensed as the scent of blood - his blood - brought back everything he'd experienced here. He looked ahead of him at the blood-stained, whip-scarred table and sat himself chained to it, biting back cries of pain and tears as King Frederic stood on the other side of the table, staring him down. He shivered, recalling his cold expression. He doubted that anyone else had _ever_ seen him like that. Downright predatory.  
  
"Varian?" Andrew looked at him with concern.  
  
"I'm okay." He assured him. "I'm...I'm okay. It's just...it's just like the nightmares, that's all. It's not happening right now, it's in the past. Just my mind."  
  
Andrew sighed and pulled him close again.  
  
\--  
  
Lance and Eugene entered the room, but Cassandra couldn't bring herself to and only watched as the two men looking over the damage, the evidence of King Frederic's cruelty. Yes, they'd seen his back, but seeing where it happened, seeing Varian's blood still on the table and walls and floor and even on the ceiling was...horrifying.  
  
"Mmngh..." She stumbled back, feeling nauseous. She had to keep it in, though. She had to be strong, because if Varian could _endure_ it and still face this room, then she could face this room and avoid losing her lunch. She looked at the glowing boy and wondered how he could _be_ so strong, to endure that and then face it again. To face his tormentor and of many months and be so calm. It was completely supernatural the level of his strength, how well he could keep his composure after all he'd been put thought.  
  
 _Everything you just left him to endure. He thought you were his **friend**._  
  
She glanced away, feeling guilty. Yes, she'd apologized over and over, they'd all apologized over and over and certainly stood by him to help him get the justice he needed, but the glaring fact that he never would've faced any of it if she'd only been there for him when he came to the castle during the blizzard couldn't be ignored. The _least_ she could do was be here with him for this.  
  
\--  
  
Lance reached out a hand to gently touch the scarred table, his lips pursed. He'd kept it to himself, hadn't told anyone, not even Eugene, but he knew the kid's pain. Oh, did he know it. His own back had been covered with scars just like his, but they were all at different stages of healing because they weren't as frequent as what Varian had faced. Still, being here, seeing the blood splattered, the chains, it all came back to him. Eight bitter years of waiting for rescue that never came. Either bitter years of being locked away from the world until the point that he learned to smile through the pain and pretend everything was okay.  
  
Something he had never said to Eugene, and he never would, was that when he first came back to Corona, he wanted to _kill_ him when he found out about how he'd not only left him to suffer, but he'd thrown _everything_ away to get in the good graces of royalty that had kicked him into the dirt before. But when he saw him again, the old affection he thought had been stripped away with his skin came back and he decided to hurt him another way, a way that wouldn't hurt him - physically. So he'd talked him into helping him with a crime, forced him to once again don the Flynn Rider persona. Except he didn't don it. He'd refused, pushed him and Flynn Rider away. His partner-in-crime was gone, and so he'd left.  
  
But he couldn't stay away. He missed him too much. So he came back and decided to try starting a new life himself. He hid his pain, pushed it down, and pretended everything was okay. That the eight years of prison after being abandoned by his brother, his best friend, never happened. He never brought up those eight years to him, instead choosing to experience Eugene's joy secondhand. And, oh, did he enjoy it. Castle food, the company of the Princess, little games and pranks and schemes and borderline illegal activities.  
  
but he had on idea, the whole time, about the child that had been abandoned just like him. He had no idea about Varian, the dark spot in their lives that they all pretended didn't exist. When he faced him in battle by Eugene's side, he didn't know what to expect. This "Varian" was formidable, built monsters and created fog and spoke to them all without being present. And then the battle ended and he saw a _child_ being hauled out of the automaton. A child, he learned, had just been trying to save his father. A child that had been abandoned by the Princess while Lance was out helping Eugene and the others save the King that would later destroy that child's innocence.  
  
 _We should've let him die. We should've let him fall.  
  
_ But Lance hadn't said a word, and left on a grand adventure with the Princess and his ~~best friend brother~~ old partner-in-crime. And they'd met the child again, surrounded by criminal adults that cared for him more than the Princess, his so-called friend, ever did. His back was scarred up like Lance's, only they were more fresh, more recent, horrifically layered over each other. Once a month, _every month_ , this child had been beaten by a heartless King, forsaken by the embodiment of the Sun herself to suffer in the dark, to be chained to this table, to be locked away in that cell with only Andrew and Ruddiger for comfort, surrounded by monsters. She hadn't known, of course. She, for _some_ reason, feared more for her father than for the _child_ she left in the clutches of the Royal Guard, the _same_ Royal Guard that, apparently, had been around Old Corona when they came following a desperate letter sent by a child through an unconventional, unreliable method.  
  
And then they found out that one of them was truly a monster, a demonic cultist. And now the cruel King that had hurt this child, barely sixteen now, was among said cultists, barely escaped justice with the help of a monster that vanished in green fire and controlled plants like weapons.  
  
 _We should've just let him die that day._  
  
His hand rested against one of the bloodstains, his expression grim. The kid was definitely to be admired, not only intellect but also strength. He'd suffered so much and the pain just kept coming. Well, not anymore. He looked over at Varian, who was speaking quietly to Andrew by the door. Clad in unbreakable armor, his hair and eyes glowing as evidence of his being the embodiment of the Moon, he stood tall in the place of his old torment.   
  
Lance wished he had his strength. He couldn't even think of the name of the place he'd been imprisoned for eight years without feeling every bit of emotion he felt there coming back to him.  
  
\--  
  
Eugene had seen the scars. He heard the stories. But, being here was...a whole other thing. Eugene had never been beaten, or even scarred in battle. He avoided capture skillfully, dodged swords with ease, always somehow getting out unscathed - mostly. And then he'd met Rapunzel, and suddenly he was being hit with frying pans and grabbed by thugs and his silver tongue wasn't helping him out, but her singing did. And then he'd been stabbed, but was brought back to life and there wasn't even a scar left. And then his life just kept getting better and better!  
  
And then things got bad, when Lady Caine showed up and with her Rapunzel's long hair returned. Following her was Varian, who was harmless enough at the time but when he first saw him he was using a machine that was _riddled_ with blades on Rapunzel. He should've noticed that Cassandra was letting it happen, which she would never do if Rapunzel was in actual danger. At the time, he didn't even think about that. At the time, he just saw a potential threat in a kid.  
  
A kid that, apparently, had a habit of _blowing things up_. And every time after, he'd brought trouble with him with his inventions, even if he didn't cause it. So when he heard he'd attacked Rapunzel after she refused to go somewhere with him, he hadn't thought twice and his already "dangerous" label had been highlighted and "enemy" was added to it. And every time he saw him after, he had lived up to the label.  
  
but he had toe chance to see him before that, didn't he? Varian had sent a letter and they'd gone to his home, seen his dad, seen the evidence of desperation. Had the kid eaten well? Did he sleep? Why was he always in the same outfit every time he saw him, he lived in a pretty fancy place so he had to have other clothes, better clothes. But, at the time, he didn't think about any of it. Because of the Royal Guard, who had been terrorizing the poor kid for _weeks_ while Eugene believed a rumor spread by a a King that apparently had cruel intentions for his friend's son.  
  
 _A bunker? Seriously? An "offer" to be a_ ** _slave_** _?_  
  
The thought was sickening.  
  
Then he'd battled that child like he was an adult as old as he was, treated him like the worst threat to ever exist. And while he was definitely dangerous, the truth is that he was just a desperate kid trying to save his dad. And even when he found out what happened to his father, he still saw him as a threat. All the way to the prison barge, he believed he was a threat. Even after. Varian had resorted to underhanded methods just to get a ride to the Dark Kingdom to find something to _save his father_. He may have held the safety of Corona as incentive to help him, but it quickly became clear that he didn't actually want to hurt anyone. And, over time, they became closer. He actually tried to be his friend, like he'd tried to get him to be when he was fourteen.  
  
Fourteen. He was fifteen when they left him to suffer this face, he was still fifteen and almost sixteen now. He was _still_ only a _child_ , but he faced his tormentor with a strength Eugene couldn't believe. When facing The Baron, his old boss, he'd always been frightened, but this boy, this _child_ stood tall and spoke like an adult far beyond his years with The Baron, had made friends with an entire prison barge, had endured the Moonstone going into his body and altering his appearance, and discussed, planned, and finally carried out a revolution with Rapunzel and everyone in Corona. And then he'd faced his tormentor with head held high, only finally showing weakness when they came down here. And then he'd shaken it off and stood tall once more, facing the memories, the evidence, _his own blood_. Eugene had seen blood before, but he still felt nauseous being down here. Seeing the evidence of how those scars had gotten onto his back, the chains, the whip hanging on the wall that was had dried blood on the handle...he didn't know how he could do it.  
  
He turned his gaze away from it and looked at Cassandra, who was struggling not to run or throw up. For all her bravado, her training and her upbringing, Cassandra was as innocent as Rapunzel in this. Maybe moreso, because she hadn't had the dangers of "men with pointy teeth" drilled into her from a young age. And Frederic's teeth were definitely pointy, Eugene would say. Pointy as a demon's. And if Lucas had taken him away, chances were that he was going to become a Disciple just like him.  
  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the fortune he'd read hundreds of times since he got it:  
  
[From where Love has been warped, a great Darkness will rise in the Land of the Light.]  
  
Well, love had certainly been warped. Frederic thought that Varian was somehow controlling them all with a spell, apparently, and probably wouldn't stop until Rapunzel and Varian were separated forever.  
  
But, still...becoming a demonic cultist, wasn't that a bit rash? How low could this guy _go_?  
  
\--  
  
Frederic opened his eyes to find himself in a strange room with an alter and a statue of a strange creature that resembled an octopus with a goat's head and human arms.   
  
"Good evening, Frederic."  
  
He gasped and sat up, looking around in alarm. Lucas was standing next to the couch he was laying on, dressed in strange robes. There were others in the room dressed in similar robes and the only one he knew reached out a hand to help him stand up. "We are pleased that you have chosen to join us. With your help, we can take the Sundrop from your daughter and set her free from her connection to Varian that has allowed him to enslave her."  
  
"What of the Moonstone?" Frederic asked as he took his hand and stood up.  
  
"We aren't quite sure how to remove it from him, but don't fret. Once our Mistress is free, we will simply hand him to her and you will never have to deal with him again." Lucas assured him with a purr. "Now, are you ready to officially join us?" He gestured to a woman that brought over new robes. "Don't worry, they're in your size." Lucas added with a wink. "Go on and get changed, then we can start the process to properly bring you into the fold."  
  
Frederic accepted the robes and walked to a side-room that Lucas gestured for him to go into. Once there, he changed out of his regal clothes and put on the robes instead before he walked out to Lucas again.  
  
"What now?" He asked.  
  
"Come." He took Frederic's hand and led him over to the altar. "Climb up onto it and lie down."  
  
Frederic nodded and climbed up onto it, then laid down as Lucas directed. "What next?"  
  
Lucas chuckled. "Now, I'm going to put you back to sleep." He waved his hands and glowing vines rose up and started to wrap around Frederic gradually. "And, when you wake, you will have powers just like us. Don't be afraid."  
  
Frederic nodded, forcing himself to relax as the vines crept up his body. "How long will I sleep?"  
  
"Don't worry, your body will be in suspended animation while you gain your powers. You won't waste away, trust me." Lucas assured him. "Rest well, Your Majesty."  
  
"Yes..." Frederic closed his eyes. "I trust you."  
  
The vines continued to climb up his body until he was completely engulfed. Lucas stepped back and then started to chant with the others in the room, the statue glowing green as the vines started to pulsate around Frederic's sleeping body.  
  
"Soon, my Brother and Sisters, we will have a new Brother." He said, smiling slyly.  
  
"It haz been too long since we brought another into the fold." Tromus agreed.  
  
"Now, to business. With the Princess--ah, no, she's _Queen_ now, isn't she? With the Sundrop allying herself with Saporians and Witch-hunters, we'll have to tread carefully. I can only mask a few of you at a time out there, so if you leave The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow, do it in small groups. If anyone finds this place, let only one leave with vague memory of it. Between the spotty memories and the missing people, the Sundrop and Moonstone will come looking. And if the Witch-hunters come as well, then all the better. _We_ have the power here. For now, go out, spread chaos in the land."  
  
"What will you be doing?" Tromus asked him.  
  
"With Regulus around, it will be hard to get close to my little bird. Tsk, if I'd known who he was _before_...well, no matter." He waved it off. "Tromus, can you watch over our new recruit?"  
  
"Of course." Tromus nodded.  
  
"I'll be watching the Sundrop and Moonstone from a distance. They can't stay in the city forever and, when they leave it, I'll mess with them a little." He chuckled.  
  
"Hm, well, have fun with that." Tromus nodded.  
  
Lucas grinned and left the room. "I'll check in on Frederic in a little while. Stay hidden, Tromus."  
  
Tromus nodded and looked down at Frederic, at the pulsating bundle of vines on the altar. "Love can drive one to do...foolish things." He remarked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It looks like Lucas gathered a few more friends on the other side!


	49. Loyalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Frederic having disappeared, it's time to find out who was loyal to a fault and who was well-aware of what was going on and supported it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Since he no longer had to sneak around, Varian could mix up several batches of truth serum. Xavier volunteered to help, but really he just wanted to see his old student in action. After all, it wasn't often that he got to see him doing his alchemy, he wished he'd taken the time to watch him before, to check up on him. He had heard that he was in town, but hadn't wondered why he didn't visit like he usually did. And that was his fault, his choice.  
  
It amazed him how Varian could recreate the truth serum he used before so effortlessly, like it was nothing to him to make a complex recipe.  
  
"Do you need any help?" He asked with amusement.  
  
"Ah, yeah, can you go grab a crate so I can load it up with truth serum for the castle?" Varian asked, focusing on his work.  
  
"I heard you went down to the prison earlier." Xavier said as he grabbed a crate. "Do you...want to talk about it?"  
  
Varian paused in his work, then went back to it. "Not much to talk about. I brought them down to see the place and they walked around poking at my dried blood and the gashes in the table. I think Cassandra needs someone to talk about it, though. Or Lance, he seemed pretty affected. Not sure you can help him much, though. Some things you just can't help with platitudes and stories."  
  
Xavier sighed and nodded, setting the crate down on the worktable. Varian finished with one bottle and put it in the crate, then moved on to filling the next one. "I just want to be of help."  
  
"You _have_ helped." Varian assured him. "This revolution wouldn't have gone so smoothly if it wasn't for your help, and your secret passage to the tunnels." He winked at him and then went back to work.  
  
"So, your clothes..." Xavier mused, "are they truly made of the same rocks that destroyed your hometown?"  
  
"Yeah." Varian nodded. "And as soon as I finish translating the scroll, the rocks are all going down."  
  
Xavier chuckled. "Well, do let me know if you need any help with that."  
  
Varian nodded, then focused on his task. Once the crate was full of bottles, he put something in to cushion them and then put a lid on. "Let's take these out to the cart to be delivered to the Capital." He told Xavier, who nodded and lifted it up for him before they walked out, Quirin waiting outside with Adira.  
  
"Where's Hector?" Varian asked.  
  
"He's with Cassandra and her... _other_ father." Quirin shrugged.  
  
"Ah." Varian nodded. "Well, let's get going."  
  
They loaded up the crate and then climbed into the cart to head for Corona Capital.  
  
\--  
  
Cassandra glanced from left to right, feeling a little nervous. This was the first time her dad would be meeting...her dad. That was going to be hard to get used to.  
  
"Well, uhm...Dad...uh, Captain Solomon, this is...my birth dad, Hector of the Brotherhood in the Dark Kingdom. Hector, this is Captain Solomon." She introduced the two men.  
  
Captain Solomon had been set aside from the others. They knew he was an ally, but they wanted to make it fair and arrested him with everyone else. Still, they gave him his own holding cell instead of sticking him with the rest of the Royal Guard. Nigel, likewise, had his own holding cell.  
  
"Varian told us about how you kept him from irreversible harm by the Disciple Lucas' hands." Hector said, holding out a hand. "I thank you. And also for taking in my daughter when her mother left her behind."  
  
"And I think you for bringing Cassandra into this world." Captain Solomon smiled softly. "She has been a blessing to me, and I am glad to have been her father. But, I am also glad to know that her real father is not a terrible person."  
  
"Honestly, Cassandra was a surprise to me. I..." He sighed. "Her mother put me under an enchantment to make me cooperate with her, to be more...submissive. And then she never told me about our daughter. I found out only very recently, but I am glad to know her, her and Varian and Prince Eugene."  
  
"Prince?" He asked in surprise.  
  
"Oh, right, yeah. Turns out, Eugene's actually the lost prince of the Dark Kingdom." Cassandra explained.  
  
"Hm." Captain Solomon looked thoughtful. "Well, isn't that interesting. I'm sure once I'm released I'll learn more about that. for now...well, what are we waiting on?"  
  
"Truth serum. Rapunzel doesn't want to take any chances and she's having Varian make truth serum for the interrogations." Cassandra explained. "Which I'm only saying because I know that you aren't still loyal to the former King."  
  
"Daughter, we should be going." Hector prompted. "They should be coming back soon with the serum."  
  
Cassandra nodded. "Once this is all done, we'll...we'll have a proper sit-down and talk about everything you missed, and we'll tell him about my trip and how we met and stuff."  
  
"I chased you with a rhino." Hector said, chuckling. "And you fired an arrow at me."  
  
"Good times." Cassandra chuckled.  
  
"Well, we'll see you at the interrogations." Hector nodded and opened the door, leading Cassandra out.  
  
"See you." Caassandra smiled and walked out with him, Hector closing the door behind him.  
  
"...He seems nice." The Captain commented after the door was shut.  
  
\--  
  
The prisoners would be questioned one by one, of course. The Captain went first, and it was quick. He sat down in the interrogation room, the table and chairs replaced and the walls scrubbed clean of blood and painted over just for good measure by Rapunzel herself, and Varian sat across from him, with Rapunzel standing next to his chair.  
  
"Hello, Captain. It's been a long time. I don't think I've seen you since my house arrest." Varian said pleasantly. "Why weren't you at the battle?"  
  
The Captain chuckled. "Well, your raccoon took care of me beforehand, I was in the medical ward during that battle."  
  
"That explains why Cassandra was there." Varian remarked. "I doubt you would've had her leading if you were able." He clasped his hands together. "You look thirsty." He nodded to the side and Xavier walked over to set down a glass with a pleasant smile. "I know firsthand just how parched you can get being in the holding cell." Varian added.  
  
The Captain took the cup and drank it without hesitation.   
  
Varian took a deep breath, then looked at him. "Why did the King have you keeping me under house arrest?"  
  
"To protect Princess Rapunzel." The Captain told him.  
  
"Did you know about High-Security?" Varian asked.  
  
"I knew it existed, but I had never been to it myself. The former Captain told me that it was for the King himself to oversee." The Captain replied.  
  
"Did you know about the King planning to lock me in a bunker and beating me when I refused to be his personal alchemist?" Varian asked calmly.  
  
"No, I didn't!" The Captain cried in outrage. "Why would he _do_ that you?!"  
  
"When the revolution began, what did you do?" Varian asked.  
  
"I ordered the men to focus on disarming only, to not harm anyone."  
  
Varian nodded. "Did you know about what caused the black rocks?"  
  
"No, only that they were dangerous."  
  
Varian sighed and sat back. "Would you turn against Queen Rapunzel, if you were set free?"  
  
"No." The Captain said earnestly. "I swore to serve the throne, and she now sits upon the throne. My loyalty is to the crown."  
  
"Thank you." Varian stood up and walked to the side with Rapunzel.   
  
"Well?" Rapunzel asked quietly.  
  
"I think we can trust him." Varian assured her. "Let's let him go, bring the next one in."  
  
Rapunzel nodded and walked back over to the table. "Captain Solomon, you are free to go."  
  
His cuffs were removed and he stood up before bowing on one knee. "Your Majesty."  
  
She smiled. "Thank you. I think Cassandra is anxiously waiting for you out there." She nodded to the door.  
  
He stood up and walked to the door, walking out.  
  
Varian walked over and picked up the empty cup before handing it to Xavier to wipe down and refill. "Let's move on."  
  
\--  
  
Nigel stepped into the interrogation room, looking a bit nervous. His eyes were darting all over and then they finally landed on the teenager sitting in the chair across from the empty one he was being led to. He was sat down and cuffed in place and he stared at Varian with eyes wide and lips pursed.  
  
"Hello, Nigel." Varian said calmly. "It _is_ Nigel, right? I mean," he chuckled, "I've only met you once before. That fateful night, with a roaring blizzard outside. The next time I saw you was at my sham of a trial. Do you remember that? You read me my crimes, accused me of killing my father." He turned to Quirin, who was standing silently by the wall. "Does he look dead to you?"  
  
Nigel shook his head, looking terrified.  
  
"No. He's not." He sighed. "You shot down my attempts to defend myself, to talk about all the King had done. But, heh, that's in the past, isn't it? You look like you've been sweating a lot, you must be getting dehydrated. Why don't you have some water?" He nodded to Xavier, who set down the cup just like he did before.  
  
Nigel took the cup in both trembling hands and drank it.  
  
"It must be terrifying for you, to not be in charge. To be the one in the chains. You're unaccustomed to it." Varian said with a pitying tone. "But, it's okay. Get through this interrogation and _maybe_ you can have your job back."  
  
Nigel set down the cup. "Alright, then...ask your questions."  
  
Varian clasped his hands together. "Why did the King keep me under house arrest?"  
  
"To pro--" Nigel started to say something, then cringed, groaned, squirmed and then looked at him with horror. "You...nngh..."  
  
Varian just smiled serenely, tilting his head to the side slightly. "Yes?"  
  
"NNghh...mmpgh...to...to _break_ you. To make you do something drastic so he could lock you away and take advantage of your abilities and Saporian heritage." Nigel finally admitted.  
  
"...My WHAT?!" Varian looked at Quirin.  
  
"Your mother was Saporian." Quirin confirmed.  
  
"Oh, and you didn't think to ever _tell_ me that?" Varian shook his head. "Alright, let's move on. This will go a lot easier for you if you just answer truthfully." He looked back at Nigel. "You and I, though, are gonna have a _talk_ later, _dad_."  
  
Rapunzel cleared her throat.  
  
Varian sighed and looked at Nigel. "Did you know about High-Security?"  
  
"Yes." Nigel said bitterly. "But he forbade me from coming down here. So did the previous King."  
  
Varian nodded. "Did you know about the King planning to lock me in a bunker and beating me when I refused to be his personal alchemist?"  
  
"Yes." Nigel replied. "I told him that his plan could backfire, but he assured me that 'none of the others' had gotten out."  
  
"'Others'?" Varian breathed. "What do you mean none of the 'others'? What is 'the bunker'?"  
  
"The secret lab where the captured Sapirian scientists were brought to to do work for the King. Your mother would have gone in there, she was incredibly skilled. Not as much as you, though. you are, truly, a rare gift to this world." Nigel smirked a bit.  
  
"And what happened to the Saporians brought there before?" Varian demanded.  
  
"They worked until they couldn't work anymore." Nigel replied.  
  
Rapunzel gasped, looking horrified.  
  
Varian clenched his fists on the table, then took a deep breath and slowly released it. "Do you know where the bunker is?"  
  
"Yes." Nigel nodded.  
  
Varian nodded to Rapunzel. "We're going to get you a map and you will tell us where it is." He looked back at Nigel. "Now that Frederic is no longer on the throne, let me ask you a question. Do you serve Frederic de Sonne or do you serve the crown?"  
  
"I serve the crown. While I do not approve of Princess Rapunzel, I will not attempt to force her from her throne. It is true that the King committed treason, and myself by extension. However, she is royal blood, and the crown is hers by right. Therefore, I will serve her." Nigel clasped his chained hands together.  
  
"Thank you, Nigel. No more questions." He stood up and walked to the side with Rapunzel.  
  
"What do you think?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"I think he should be closely monitored, but we'll release him." Varian nodded.  
  
She nodded. "Alright, Nigel, you are free to go."  
  
Nigel was unlocked and he bowed at the waist to Rapunzel before he left the room.  
  
Varian pulled out his Communication Mirror. "Andrew, I want someone tracking Nigel's movements. He knows where the bunker that the past Kings have been sending Saporians to is."  
  
"Is that the bunker that they planned to send _you_ to?" Andrew asked.  
  
"Yeah...turns out my mom was Saporian." Varian sighed heavily. "We'll talk about that later."  
  
"I'll have someone on him." Andrew promised.  
  
"Good. I have to get back work." Varian turned to see the next person coming in. "Stan! It is Stan, right?"  
  
Stan looked at him and turned away with a guilty expression. "Yes...you seem to be doing well."  
  
"Eh, well enough considering I was locked in prison. Anyways," he sat down, "you look thirsty. Have you eaten?"  
  
"Well, they didn't bring our lunch yet, no." Stan shook his head. "And I gave Pete mine, he's so scrawny compared to me."  
  
"Hm." Varian nodded. "Well, I don't have any food in here, but how about some water?" He gestured to the cup Xavier was setting down.  
  
"Oh, thanks!" Stan took it and drank it without hesitation. Varian smiled a bit and leaned his cheek on one hand, his elbow on the table. "Hey, Stan, let me ask you a question."  
  
"That's the point of an interrogation, isn't it?" Stan chuckled a bit.  
  
He hummed thoughtfully. "Why did you throw me out into the blizzard?"  
  
Stan winced. "Uh, well...you were acting belligerent, and Nigel was doing the 'throw him out' motion."  
  
"Into a blizzard." Varian said flatly.  
  
"Honestly, I think I thought that since you _got here_ through it, you'd have no problem getting back." Stan admitted. "I _did_ scold Pete after he told you that you weren't worth the Princess' time, but he brushed it off."  
  
Varian sighed heavily. "Okay, then." He tapped his finger on the wood thoughtfully. "Did you know about High-Security?"  
  
"I knew the guys that worked down there were jerks." Stan shrugged. "But, I never went down there myself."  
  
"Did you know I was under house arrest?" Varian asked next.  
  
"Huh? What? Why?" Stan frowned. "No, I didn't know that. I was actually kind of relieved to know you were okay when you showed up in the castle. Granted, I only saw you for a few seconds before you left with the flower--"  
  
"Did you know about what happened to me in prison?" Varian asked, cutting him off.  
  
"I put you in the prison cart and that's the last time I saw you until the, uh, revolution." Stan admitted.  
  
"Okay, then." He clasped his hands together. "Which do you have loyalty to, Frederic or the crown?"  
  
"The crown, of course." Stan assured him.  
  
"Are you willing to accept the fact that I will be an active member of Corona society again?" Varian asked calmly.  
  
"Well, as long as you don't do anything illegal!" Stan assured him. "By the way, that is a crazy outfit you've got on."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Varian clasped his hands together and looked at Rapunzel. "What do you think?"  
  
"I think he's good." Rapunzel smiled.  
  
"Alright." Varian nodded and nodded to Adira, who unlocked his cuffs.  
  
Stan stood up. "Great! Uh, I guess I'll go out and...see my wife. Yeah. Oh, she's probably worried about me." He bowed and then got up to head out.  
  
Varian sighed. "Well, that was fun."  
  
"Who's next?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
The door opened and Varian raised an eyebrow as Pete was brought in, struggling against the men holding him. "Of course. Stan...and then Pete."  
  
Pete huffed as he was sat down and chained up. "Can we get this over with?"  
  
"Wow, what a mood. You need a drink?" Varian grinned.  
  
"Don't. Bother. I won't drink it." Pete fumed.  
  
Varian shrugged. "Eh, you're practically on truth serum all the time anyway."  
  
Pete glared at him. "Do you know that you almost got me _fired_ that day?"  
  
"Do you know that, at that time, I didn't _care_?" Varian leaned on the table a bit. "But, heh, let's just get on with it, huh? Why did you throw me out into the blizzard?"  
  
"Because you were an annoying brat and Nigel wanted you out!" Pete snapped.  
  
"Wow, I wonder if you'd be _nicer_ on truth serum." Varian raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You brought me here to ask questions, not to be _nice._ I've been in that cell for _two days_!" Pete huffed.  
  
"Oh, boo-hoo. Try being in High-Security for _months_ , you _wimp_." Varian rolled his eyes.  
  
"Varian." Rapunzel scolded him gently.  
  
"Fine." Varian sighed heavily. "So, if you were told that the King wanted to lock me away in a bunker and beat me when I refused to go, what would you say?"  
  
"I'd say you're an insufferable brat that should've been beaten sooner!" Pete scowled.  
  
"What if you were told that he wanted to make me into his personal secret slave?" Varian raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Wha--ew. You're a _kid_. And the King doesn't swing that way. Does he?" He looked thoughtful.  
  
"Wha--I mean for my alchemy!" Varian said, feeling disgusted at the thought of anything else.  
  
"Oh. Well, that'd be dumb. You'd just use your alchemy to get out." Pete huffed. "It took _magic_ to finally take you down!"  
  
Varian sighed heavily. He _really_ wished he'd have just taken the truth serum. "Alright, let's get this over with, I'm getting tired of seeing your annoying face. Which are you loyal to, the crown or the former King Frederic?"  
  
"Well, honestly, I don't think that the crown was taken legitimately." Pete frowned. "But, I guess if I'm going to _keep my job_ , I'll have to listen to the new Queen. I suppose I can respect the fact that the revolution didn't have any casualties."  
  
"All thanks to Varian's clever planning." Rapunzel smiled down at him.  
  
"Ugh, you and your clever plans." Pete looked away.  
  
"Well, he's a jerk and an idiot, but I don't think he's likely to go and join the former King and the Disciples or try to initiate a revolt against you." Varian looked up at Rapunzel.  
  
"I think we can let him go." Rapunzel nodded.  
  
" _Thank_ you. Now, can you uncuff me?" Pete held up his hands.  
  
"Mmm, as much as I'd _like_ to let you languish there for a little bit, we have more people to interrogate. Aunt Adira?" He looked at her and she unlocked the cuffs.  
  
" _Thank_ you." Pete got up and bowed at the waist to Rapunzel before he headed out. "And your outfit is stupid!"  
  
Varian wriggled his fingers at him in a lazy wave. "Yeah, he _really_ doesn't like me."  
  
Rapunzel giggled. "Let's move on."  
  
Varian sighed and sat back in his seat. "Next."  
  
\--  
  
In the end, the Royal Guard were all loyal to the crown. Still, quite a few were being tailed in secret by Saporians when they weren't training. Stan and Pete were back at their post by the throne room and Varian stuck out his tongue in an immature way to Pete, who responded in kind, as he walked into the throne room with Rapunzel.  
  
"Hey, welcome back!" Eugene greeted, getting up and walking over to them, hugging them both. "Cass is with her dads, they really seem to be hitting it off!"  
  
"That's good. Any sign of Ruddiger?" Varian looked around. "Or is he still busy with the Saporians?"  
  
A burst of green flame suddenly landed on the ground and they all turned in alarm as the figure in the flame slowly stood up, the flame vanishing around them.  
  
"You called?" The unfamiliar young man asked with a grin.  
  
Varian blinked. "...Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Ruddiger! Or, well, Regulus. Is it the clothes? The Saporians gave me new clothes, but I thought for _sure_ you would've recognized me from the--"  
  
"The dream world!" Rapunzel cried out as she remembered, snapping her fingers. "You're the guy that helped us!"  
  
"Yes, that's me. Ruddiger." He walked over to them. "The Saporian mages used a spell that turned me human. They couldn't remove the curse, so they just turned me human instead. As a result, I changed completely naked, so they gave me new clothes." He scratched at his shaggy, gray hair. "Anyways, hi!" He grinned.  
  
"Uhm...hi." Varian grinned. "Nice to finally meet...uhm... _you_."  
  
"Nice to finally meet you, too!" Ruddiger grinned, closing his blue eyes this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With loyalties determined, it's time to work on moving forward and preparing for the future!


	50. His Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruddiger, once Regulus, tells the story of why he became a Disciple and why he betrayed them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"I still can't believe you're _human_ now." Rapunzel said, looking Ruddiger up and down. "Hey, what if we turned _Max_ human?"  
  
"I think he'd be _offended_ at the offer." Eugene shook his head. "So, uh, Ruddiger...Regulus... _which_ do you want us to call you?"  
  
"Ruddiger is the name I associate myself with now." Ruddiger shrugged, leaning back in his seat casually.  
  
"You're going to fall if you tip the chair." Varian warned him.  
  
"I'll be fine." Ruddiger assured him.  
  
"If you fall, I will laugh." Varian smirked.  
  
They had gathered around the dinner table with Rapunzel, Eugene, Cassandra, Arianna, the Brotherhood, Andrew and Juniper. Lady Caine had been offered to join them, but she had politely declined saying she had too much work to do in ensuring the criminals didn't cause trouble in Corona anymore, since they were allies now. Some habits just were taking a long time to die.  
  
"Hey, maybe Hamuel could turn human." Adira remarked, looking at the crow-raven sitting on King Edmund's shoulder. " _That_ might be a sight."  
  
"Pft, what about _Pascal_?" Eugene looked at said lizard sitting on his girlfriend's shoulder.  
  
"Now, hold on." Ruddiger leaned forward in his seat. "It's all well and good that _I_ turned human because I _was_ human before, but turning a normal animal into a human could be a major shock to their system. Not to mention you'd have to make accommodations and dress them and they wouldn't be able to sit on your shoulders anymore. Hamuel would lose the ability to fly, and they'd _both_ have to adjust to higher views and longer lives and...becoming something you're _not_ is _scary._ Take it from me." He shuddered. "Those first few years, I thought that I would for sure...you know...raccoons...only live five years, maybe eight if they're pampered enough. When I hit that point and _didn't die_ , I realized that I'd been made immortal. Heck, I didn't even _age_." He looked at himself.  
  
"Hamuel wouldn't, either." King Edmund told him. "The Brotherhood all had our aging frozen by the Moonstone when the wave hit."  
  
"What--is it _reversible_?" Varian asked in alarm.  
  
"You tell us." Adira shrugged.  
  
"Ruddiger..." Rapunzel looked at him. "I know this may be _painful_ , but...I'd like to hear a first-hand account on...why someone would _become_ a Disciple."  
  
"...Heh." Ruddiger nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you _would_ be curious. Why would we betray the old man and side with a demon? It's a big question." He clenched his fists. "...I was fourteen when Lord Demanitus sought me out. I was a kid with 'great potential', he said. He wanted me to use my skills to help him with some research. At the time, I had a little brother that was dying of an unknown illness. The Sundrop, I was told, could save him. So I agreed to be his student and joined the ranks of...well, there were quite a lot of us. He started an academy in Corona, where he had made a home. It was a long way from the Iron Kingdom, where I lived. I think it's changed its name since, now it's...uhm...Ingvarr or something. Culture changed, too, at least from what I hear." He sighed. "Anyways, I came to Corona to study with Lord Demanitus and his partner Zhan Tiri."  
  
"Partner?" Rapunzel breathed.  
  
"Yeah. I didn't know where she was from, but she worked very closely with them. I thought they were lovers, but I never saw them so much as hold hands. I dunno, I was a dumb kid. Then when I was sixteen, they broke up or something and I didn't see her around. When I asked, Demanitus just told me to focus on my work and don't talk about her."  
  
"Uh, hold on." Eugene held up a hand. "Question, and this has been _kind of_ bugging me since we met Lucas in the Great Tree, but wasn't Zhan Tiri a _man_? I mean, all the legends..."  
  
"The legends got confused because she called herself a warlock because it sounded more powerful than 'witch'. But, yes, Zhan Tiri was a woman. Anyways, when I turned eighteen, my brother's condition grew worse. We had learned about where the Sundrop Flower was and I _begged_ for us to take it and save my brother. What Demanitus didn't _know_ is that, leading up to this, Zhan Tiri had been whispering to certain of us that Demanitus never intended to keep his promises, that he tricked us into helping him with impossible hopes." He clutched at the tablecloth, looking at his untouched plate of food. "He told me that we couldn't take the Sundrop Flower to the Iron Kingdom. So I tried to make arrangements to bring my brother to Corona, but...he died while I was still trying to convince my teacher to let me use it on him."  
  
He chuckled bitterly. "Turns out, he had no say in the matter, anyway. The Sundrop Flower was protected by the Royal Family of Saporia. But, I didn't know this until I'd _betrayed_ him and joined Zhan Tiri along with _others_ of us that felt used and betrayed by his broken promises. Because that's what....what it was all about. Broken promises. He promised Zhan Tiri that they would find the Sundrop Flower and Moonstone Opal and be the bearers together. In the end, he decided it was too powerful for any human to withstand. She swore vengeance, swore to destroy his precious Corona because he'd hurt her. And those of us that followed her were granted demonic powers."  
  
"Demonic powers? I know about the green fire, but what can _you_ do?" Eugene asked.  
  
Ruddiger held up a hand, his eyes glowing green, and Eugene gasped as his body moved against his will, standing up and walking in a circle before sitting back down. "Uhh.....that was trippy." He said as Ruddiger lowered his hand, his eyes no longer glowing.  
  
"I was given the ability to manipulate human bodies. I was called The Puppeteer, and worked closely with Zhan Tiri." He went on, turning his gaze to the Saporians, who had frozen in wide-eyed terror. "Yes, I was...involved in the destruction of Saporia. I was a really terrible guy back then, rage and hate can..." He shrugged helplessly and looked at Varian, who nodded in understanding.  
  
"What do you mean?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"You remember how I said that Saporia had been protecting the Sundrop Flower? Well, we couldn't take them on ourselves, so we used Corona. King Herz Der Sonne had already been harboring feelings of envy for the beautiful Kingdom of Saporia and we just went in and stoked those flames into a bonfire. Only two of us went, me and Sugracha the Eternal."  
  
"The Shapeshifter." Juniper said grimly. "There's...murals of you in the Caves of Saporia."  
  
Ruddiger closed his eyes. "I did a lot of shameful things during that battle. Zhan Tiri had twisted me into a monster and I mercilessly took down anyone in my way, controlling soldiers so they couldn't fight or controlling reluctant Coronan soldiers so they DID fight. Sugracha took the role of his advisor and I went among the ranks making sure things went smoothly. Zhan Tiri was...so _proud_." He clenched his fists, his body trembling. "It was all in the name of progress...I hurt so many people, all to get a _flower_ _._ With my help, I feel sick to say, Saporia was decimated. Herz Der Sonne took on General Shampanier by himself and beat her in combat and then he went after the Royal Family, who fled with whoever they could. The Kingdom of Saporia was overrun, destroyed, and overwritten. But, we only helped as far as the battle, anything _after_ that we had no part in."  
  
He pursed his lips and then got up, walking over to bow down on one knee, Andrew and Juniper getting up to face him. "I don't expect forgiveness. What I did to your people was unforgivable, and I understand if you want my head for it. But, I ask that you at least wait until this... _mess_ is over to execute me."  
  
Andrew and Juniper exchanged glances and then Andrew knelt down and gently tilted his head up, smiling sadly. "Who you were...is _not_ who you are now." He said softly. "You were manipulated by her into becoming a _monster_. You were young and vulnerable. I forgive you."  
  
Juniper hummed. " _I_ might kick your ass later, though. Why don't you continue your story?"  
  
He smiled shakily and nodded, slowly standing up and returning to his seat as they returned to theirs. "With...with Saporia out of the way, we were free to reach and study the Sundrop Flower. That's when we found out that Demanitus was right, we _couldn't_ take it - not without killing it. Zhan Tiri was furious and declared we were going to attack Corona, which is...when I had enough. It was like I snapped out of a trance. Destroying Corona had _nothing_ to do with our research, it was just _spite_ , and I wanted _nothing_ to do with it. I refused, told her I was going home. She told me that I wouldn't get that far and...changed me into a raccoon. Trapped in animal instincts, I fled from her and came to my senses several days later. When I returned, I found that the only one left was Gothel. Everyone else was...gone. Demanitus and his students had all gone their own ways, and I had no way to return to my true form. So I...adapted. My memories came and went over my long....long...long life, sometimes vivid and sometimes completely gone. I watched Corona expand and build itself into what it is now, I watched the walls be built, I watched Quirin come to Corona, I watched Gothel steal away a baby, I watched Varian struggle to be himself in a world that...wasn't made for him. I watched the Princess be rescued, I watched her meet Varian, and I managed to get Varian to let me live with him, to help him, because I knew firsthand what it's like to be an intelligent child surrounded by uncaring adults."  
  
He looked at Varian, smiling sadly. "I tried to keep you from becoming a monster like me, but I couldn't stop your descent into darkness, pushed along by King Frederic and Lucas." He chuckled bitterly. "Lucas. Of _all_ the Disciples to get involved with you, it was _Lucas._ "  
  
"Was Lucas a student of Demanitus too?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Lucas? A student?" He laughed. "I don't know if he even finished school. No, Lucas was a _serial killer_. He targeted teenage boys and men with unique personalities or appearances and...well, what he did isn't suitable to discuss in polite company, but he was a _monster_. He was in prison awaiting the death penalty when Zhan Tiri approached him and offered him freedom, if he used his skills to assist her in spreading chaos. And...he did. We _all_ did, we spread chaos and terrorized the Seven Kingdoms all in the name of Zhan Tiri, in the name of research. We took over the Great Tree to use as a stronghold while we attacked the Dark Kingdom, but the Moonstone Herself repelled us and sent her warriors to take us down, normal humans and Brotherhood alike. We decided Saporia would be the easier option and we'd try again once we had the Sundrop." He looked at Varian. "I bet she remembers us."  
  
"If she does, she's never said anything." Varian shrugged.  
  
"Wait, does the rock talk to you?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Mmhm." Varian nodded. "And she's the Moon, don't insult her by calling her 'the rock'."  
  
"So..." Cassandra held up a hand, "is the _Sundrop_ sentient, too?"  
  
"I haven't really noticed anything." Rapunzel shrugged.  
  
"I haven't asked." Varian admitted. "But, I imagine so, it just might be dormant. Maybe Kline can help with that."  
  
"I'm actually perfectly okay without a voice in my head, thanks." Rapunzel chuckled awkwardly.  
  
"Suit yourself." Varian shrugged, then looked at Ruddiger. "Can a Disciple be killed?"  
  
"That's a tricky question." Ruddiger admitted. "We're...no longer human, so any _human_ methods to kill us won't work. Gothel may not even be fully gone." At this, Eugene and Rapunzel froze in terror. "Relax. If she was going to come after you, she would've. She has no reason to go after you now that she's not trying to keep herself alive. And, besides, I said _might_. She was killed by the Sundrop stealing away her lifeforce as it lost its power, much like the decay spell of the Moonstone."  
  
"Yeah, I was wondering about that. _Why_ did that happen?" Eugene asked.  
  
"Uhm...do you want the simple answer, or do you want me to go in-depth about it?" Ruddiger asked.  
  
"Simple, for my simple brain." Eugene held his head.  
  
"The Sundrop was trying to heal itself by taking away the life-force it had given her." Ruddiger explained, then turned to Rapunzel. "By cutting your hair, you damaged the Sundrop and it reacted to protect itself. When you later touched the Moonstone's black rocks, the Sundrop and Moonstone worked together to prevent further damage until the Moonstone could heal it properly. That's why your hair was made to be indestructible."  
  
"If she didn't hold the hair at that time...would it have killed her?" Cassandra asked softly. Hector gently squeezed her hand in his on the table.  
  
"It's hard to say." Ruddiger admitted. "I'm no Seer. We did, however, learn that the Sundrop has destructive abilities as well as the Moonstone having constructive ones."  
  
"Meaning...?" Eugene prompted.  
  
"The Moonstone has a Healing Incantation, too." Ruddiger explained. "However, we couldn't find anything on it aside from that it would only be able to be used when 'the Moon takes human form'."  
  
"Why are legends so cryptic?" Varian groaned. "So...I apparently have healing powers?" He closed his eyes, and they saw him nodding a bit. "Yeah, apparently the Moon confirms this. I'll ask her about it later. So, about my earlier question. Can a Disciple be _killed_?"  
  
"To my knowledge, no. We can be _sealed away_ , we can be... _altered_ , but I don't think we can be _killed_. But then, we never _tested_ the theory. I _do_ know that the Moonstone's decay spell did a lot of damage to us, so cosmic powers seem to work on us." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Your best bet is to just seal them away again, _preferably_ not in a way that will unseal them if, say, _a big demonic-blizzard-stopping machine gets used_. I mean, what the _hell_ , old man? Talk about a _bad plan!_ "  
  
Varian chuckled a bit.  
  
"Anyways, I'm afraid that's all I have to offer in terms of information." Ruddiger admitted.  
  
"No, I think you can offer more." Andrew shook his head. "You know who was in the Disciples and their powers."  
  
Ruddiger sighed heavily. "Well, _that_ would take a _long_ time to discuss. Can I just...write it down?"  
  
"You can." Rapunzel giggled. "Why don't we all eat, we've done enough talking."  
  
They focused on their food, but Rapunzel couldn't help the nagging question that had been brought up: WAS Gothel gone, or was she still out there somewhere? And, if she was, why had they not seen her yet?  
  
 **{ _Did you think I was gone forever?}_**  
  
 _S_ he clutched at her hair as she recalled a nightmare she had back when she first touched the rocks. Gothel had returned and had mocked her for thinking she'd stay away. 'Please, _no._ ' She thought. ' _P_ _lease,_ just be _gone!'_  
  
She somehow managed to eat her food and keep it down that night, though she was plagued with nightmares that woke her up screaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Promises are risky business.


	51. Hollow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel takes Rapunzel, Varian, Ruddiger, Andrew, Juniper and the Brotherhood to The Bunker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Nigel should've known better than to expect to be left alone for too long. He stepped out of his home and stopped short with his heart in his throat as he saw Varian standing outside his door. "Sun Above, don't DO that, boy!" He shuddered and moved to walk past him.  
  
"You're going to bring us to the Bunker." Varian told him calmly, and Nigel stopped short. "Rapunzel is waiting in the war room with a map for you to mark. I suggest you don't waste time." He turned and walked off and Nigel groaned as he followed the infuriatingly-indestructible teenager, glancing nervously at the boy's father, who walked alongside him.  
  
While it was nice to know the man was out of the amber, finding out that he was apparently part of a warrior group from a fallen Kingdom and had secretly been harboring a _weapon of mass destruction_ in the form of his _already dangerous son_ was...not pleasant. But he couldn't so or say anything about his presence in the Kingdom, because the boy's crimes had been completely forgotten because of what the King had been revealed to have done to him.  
  
Nigel still didn't know for sure if it was true or a clever fabrication. Apparently, the boy couldn't remove his armor to show them yet.  
  
They entered the castle and went straight to the war room, where Rapunzel was waiting with the Saporian Prince and Princess - if Nigel had _known_ that that thief was the _Prince of Saporia_ , he would've advised they send him to the bunker right away! - and the rest of the accursed Brotherhood, who Varian swiftly joined so they could create a protective barrier around him - as if he _needed_ it.  
  
"Nigel, you told us under truth serum that you know where the bunker is." Rapunzel told him.  
  
"We want you to take us there." Andrew said calmly.  
  
"And you _don't_ get a choice." Juniper said firmly.  
  
Nigel sighed heavily. He had barely started the day! "...Very well. Is this everyone, then?" He looked around. "Your Lady-and-Waiting and lover aren't coming?"  
  
"They're training with the Royal Guard." Rapunzel assured him.  
  
" _I'm_ coming along." An unfamiliar voice said.  
  
He looked to the side and saw a gray-haired stranger leaning on the table lazily. "'Sup?"  
  
"Who is this?" Nigel asked.  
  
"Oh, this is Ruddiger, once known as Regulus. He's an ex-Disciple of Zhan Tiri and is working with us to stop her people and her return." Rapunzel explained.   
  
"...Ruddiger?" Nigel's brow furrowed. "Wait. Wasn't that your _raccoon_?"  
  
"Cursed. My old boss was a bi--big jerk." Ruddiger quickly corrected himself when Andrew gave him a sharp look.  
  
"I...see." Nigel sighed. "And when would you like us to set out, Your Hi--Majesty?"  
  
"As soon as you mark on this map," she pushed it towards him, "where the bunker is."  
  
Nigel was handed a quill and sighed, reaching for the inkwell before he moved it over the map. They watched as he scanned it carefully, and then he marked a spot in the mountains. "There." He put the quill back in the inkwell.  
  
"Okay, then." Rapunzel nodded. "Varian, can you memorize it?"  
  
"Already did." Varian said, nodding. "I know that area, too, but I've _never_ seen any kind of bunker there."  
  
"It wouldn't be a secret bunker built in Herz Der Sonne's time if it was _easy_ to find." Nigel huffed.  
  
"Well, then let's get going." Rapunzel clapped her hands together. "We're going to find the place and see if there are any 'others' still there!"  
  
"And set them free, if there are." Juniper nodded.  
  
"Well, let's not waste time." Adira suggested.  
  
They all headed out to carriages waiting outside and piled in. Nigel couldn't help but feel nervous, traveling in close proximity with the Brotherhood. He had, after all, thrown their _precious Moonstone_ out into a blizzard and proceeded to help spread rumors about him. He was feeling anxious just _looking_ at these people.  
  
Not to mention the little imp himself, who sat next to the Prin-- _Queen_ like he belonged there.  
  
"Are you nervous?" Rapunzel asked Varian gently.  
  
"A little." He admitted. "But, I've got all of you with me, and I know I won't be staying. We're going to shut that place down, for good."  
  
Rapunzel nodded firmly with a smile.  
  
\--  
  
The carriages pulled up next to the base of the mountain and Nigel stepped out with a sigh. "Forgive me, my King and all the Kings before." He muttered, then walked over to press his hand against a certain rock, giving it a twist to the left, then the right as he held it down. The ground started to shake as part of the wall opened up and revealed a door in the wall. Then he walked over and knocked on the door before saying "The Sonnes shine over Corona."  
  
The door opened and he looked back at Rapunzel. "You...may want to brace yourself."  
  
"What is it?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
He just motioned for them to all follow him in.   
  
\--  
  
They came out into a wider area and Varian gasped in surprise. "What...what _is_ this?!"  
  
Ruddiger gently took Varian's hand, squeezing it soothingly as they looked around in silent horror and disbelief.  
  
The "bunker" was much more than a small hideaway with a lab like Varian had suspected. It was a city inside a hollow mountain populated by armored guards and people in chains. He felt ill, just imagining this kind of life for himself, and Quirin wrapped an arm around him protectively.  
  
Nigel turned to them, noticing they had all gone silent with shock.  
  
"All this time..." Andrew breathed.  
  
"They've been locking us up and _enslaving_ us in secret." Juniper finished for him, clenching her fists.  
  
"This is creepy." Hector cringed, looking around. Adira nodded, her expression grim.  
  
"Well, I'm putting a stop to this _right now_!" Rapunzel declared, walking forward. "I want to talk to whoever is in charge of this place!"  
  
"Princess Rapunzel?" A guard asked with surprise, turning to her from the slave he had been talking to.  
  
"It's _Queen_ now." She said venomously. "My father was ousted from the throne and is charge with high treason against the Kingdom, as soon as we _find_ him. He's allied himself with _demons_. But, that's not what I want to talk about right now! Remove those chains, right now! Remove _all_ the chains, by order of the Royal Family of Corona!"  
  
"Prin--Your Majesty, be reasonable. Why don't you come and talk to the Overseer?" The guard offered.  
  
"I _will_ and, while I talk to him, I want this place _shut down_. I can't _believe_ there's an entire _city_ of Saporian slaves! This is disgusting! Shut it down and unchain all the slaves!"  
  
"Your Highness?" A voice said, and Varian looked over to see a woman shakily approaching Andrew.  
  
Andrew's eyes widened. "Eva?" He moved towards her. "Eva, you're alive? But, you came with our father--"  
  
"Your father lives." She smiled shakily. "But, I do not know where he is kept, only that he brought out to force us to comply, to quell rebellion."  
  
Andrew and Juniper looked at each other with relief. "He's alive!" Juniper cried happily, then hugged Andrew. "He's alive!"  
  
Rapunzel turned to the guard. "We're going to talk to the Overseer. Now."  
  
The guard gestured for her to follow and walked off. Rapunzel walked after him and Andrew and Juniper hung back for a bit to talk to Eva before they followed behind.  
  
\--  
  
The Overseer was a pompous-looking man in a fancy office. He was fiddling with something on his desk when they walked in and it broke in his surprise as he quickly got up. "P-P-P-Princess Rapunzel?!"  
  
"It's 'Queen'." Varian said coldly.  
  
The Overseer's gaze shifted to look at Varian. "O-Oh... _you_ were supposed to be _coming_ here..."  
  
Varian gasped with mock-joy. "Aw, you already got a room for me and everything? Forget it, this place is getting shut down." He finished with a cold tone.  
  
"I can't _believe_ that this Kingdom that claims to be full of life and joy and love is hiding such a terrible secret! Well, I'm done letting my forebear's secrets run wild!" Rapunzel slammed her hands on the desk, knocking something off it with the impact. "Shut it down and let everyone go! NOW!"  
  
"B-But, Your Majes--"  
  
"NOW!" Rapunzel grabbed her frying pan and held it aggressively.  
  
The Overseer paled and turned to the guard. "You heard her! Tell everyone to unchain the slaves and let them go!"  
  
" _Where_ is my father?" Andrew demanded, walking forward.  
  
The Overseer squinted at him. "...Wait, Prin--Queen Rapunzel, is all this because you have become the lover of the Saporian Prince?!"  
  
"NO! I'm dating someone ELSE, we're just FRIENDS!" Rapunzel said with disbelief. "And 'all this' is because I had my eyes opened to the horrors that my father had been trying to hide from me - from _everyone_ for YEARS! And I'm stopping all of it! So bring out their father, set everyone free! No more chains, no more whips, I am ABOLISHING slavery!"  
  
"Technically, it was already abolished." Nigel muttered.  
  
"Well, _apparently not_!" Rapunzel gestured to a window in the wall that looked out on the city. But, as of today, it WWILL be. Now, is there anything ELSE my father has been hiding from me?!"  
  
"N-No, Your Majesty." The Overseer said meekly, then got up and went to a door at the back of his office.  
  
"Out of morbid curiosity, can I see my room?" Varian asked.  
  
"Y-Yes, after this." The Overseer unlocked the three bolts on the door and opened it before he went inside.  
  
They followed him in and found themselves in a bedchamber. There was a man lying on the bed, chain keeping him in place. The Overseer unlocked the chains and then stepped back, letting Andrew and Juniper run to his side.  
  
"Andrew...Juniper? What...how?" He breathed, looking in awe at his unchained hands and then pulling them close to him. "You've both grown up so big..."  
  
"Dad!" Juniper cried in relief. "Dad, you're alive!"  
  
"Thank the Sun." Andrew laughed a bit. "I am _not_ ready to be King yet."  
  
Juniper shoved him lightly and he shoved her back with a smirk.  
  
Rapunzel smiled and walked over to him. "King...uhm...I just realized I don't know your name." Rapunzel blushed. "My name is Rapunzel. I'm the new Queen. It's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
"Crawford, my dear. Crawford Sapor. And, oh...it is _so_ _good_ that you found your way home." He smiled. "And you're already making wonderful things happen." He slowly got up with his children helping him. "Oh, thank you, my children."  
  
"Let's get everyone out of here." Juniper pulled out her Communication Mirror and tapped it. "Clementine!"  
  
The mirror glowed. "Yes, Juniper?"  
  
"We're going to need the airship brought over." Juniper smiled at her father. "We have a _lot_ of our people to bring home."  
  
Varian turned to the Overseer. "Can I see my room, now?"  
  
"Y-Yes, of course." The Overseer nodded, eyeing the Brotherhood nervously.  
  
Rapunzel walked over to them. "I'm going, too."  
  
Nigel sighed. "I will...assist in the freeing of the enslaved Saporians."  
  
"Thank you." Rapunzel nodded and then walked out with Varian, Ruddiger and the Brotherhood, leaving the Saporians with Nigel.  
  
\--  
  
Varian's room was actually nicer than King Crawford's. There was a bedroom with a desk, bed, table and chair. There were chains at the bed just like the other room, but also a nicer, more comfortable bed and a pet bed for, they suspected, Ruddiger. There was a door at the back and inside they found a lab all set up for him to easily get to and from the lab and room. Another side room had a shower and chamberpot and a wardrobe full of clothes just like the slaves were wearing in his size. There was also another chair for visitors - or _a_ visitor - sitting at the table and a nice little food storage area.  
  
It looked like, unlike the others, Varian wasn't intended to ever leave the room and just live out his life in here, with the King visiting to give him orders. The thought send shivers down his spine and he couldn't help but think of Pete's initial assumption about Frederic's intentions when he'd told him he wanted to enslave him.  
  
How long did he intend to lock him up down here? _Did_ he have such intentions for him? Would he be allowed to visit anyone else, or would he just remain locked up, forever, the secret brilliant alchemist of Old Corona?   
  
'I wonder if this is what Lucas was referring to when he came up with the whole "secret treasure" story.' Varian thought with a cringe.  
  
"Well..." Quirin cleared his throat. "I think we've seen enough. don't you?"  
  
"...Yeah." Varian nodded, turning to go.  
  
"Varian...are you okay?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"Well, since I'm not _living_ here, yeah!" Varian nodded. "Honestly, though, I'm _seriously_ creeped out. _This_ is what he was offering me all those times? _So_ glad I refused. Yikes." He walked out.  
  
Rapunzel nodded. "I'm ready to close this door for good."  
  
"Me too." Ruddiger nodded.  
  
\--  
  
They left the room and went out to rejoin the others with helping free the slaves and help them walk up the ramp of the airship. When they were all onboard, King Crawford turned to Rapunzel. "Thank you." He smiled. "Thanks to you, my people may finally return to our ancestral home. And, of course, we will help you with your Disciple problem."  
  
"We told him." Juniper explained with a grin.  
  
"Your Majesty, may I ask that you come back to Corona Castle with us?" Rapunzel asked, gesturing to the carriages. "We can begin mapping out where to rebuild Saporia."  
  
"Ohoho, you are already eager to start on the next task! Take some time to relax though, my dear. You have done a great thing today." He gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "I intend to return home and be with my people, but I will return in due time after I have recovered from...this place." He looked at it, then looked at Varian. "You were quite fortunate to have not been brought here."  
  
Varian nodded. "Definitely. And, thanks to Queen Rapunzel, no one will _ever_ be brought here again!" He paused. "Though, remove the chains and it might be good for a hideaway if needed. You know, evacuating and all that."  
  
"It's a thought." Rapunzel nodded. "For now, King Crawford is right. We should relax." She smiled and hugged the old King. "I'm so glad that I was able to save you."  
  
"Thank you." Juniper smiled at her.  
  
Andrew nodded. "We're going to go back with our father, but we'll be back tomorrow." He promised.  
  
"Alright, take care going home!" Rapunzel smiled. "And, when you get back, we'll start figured out where your 'home' is here!"  
  
"You don't need them for that." Ruddiger reminded her. "I can tell you where Saporia once stood."  
  
"Ah, yes, seeing as you helped _tear it down_." Juniper smirked.  
  
"Consider this my making amends." Ruddiger smiled.  
  
"Let's return to Corona Capital." Rapunzel nodded, turning to face the guards, Overseer and Nigel. " _All_ of us. I'm going to need you guards joining the battle forces, we have a _lot_ of trouble to deal with."  
  
" _That's_ for sure." Ruddiger nodded. "I can sense many of my brother and sisters here in Corona. The witch-hunters may as well put their compass away, because it's _not_ going to work."  
  
"You can sense them? Can you find out who all we're dealing with?" Rapunzel asked.  
  
"I might have to figure out who we're _not_ dealing with, first." Ruddiger chuckled a bit. "Can you take me to the Demanitus Chamber?"  
  
"Tomorrow." Quirin said, before Rapunzel could reply. "Let's take some time to relax, remember?"  
  
"So he says." Varian shrugged with a grin.  
  
\--  
  
"Aw, man! We missed out on something awesome?" Eugene asked when they were later told about the bunker.  
  
"You must've been _pretty_ impressive, bossing them around." Cassandra chuckled at Rapunzel.  
  
"Oh, definitely." Eugene nodded. "Which is why I'm sorry I missed it!"  
  
"Well, you had work to do here!" Rapunzel giggled. "How are the men looking, Captain?" She turned to him.  
  
"Well, they aren't accustomed to the new magical weapons Clementine and Xavier made them, but they'll get used to it." The Captain shrugged.  
  
"My sword was on fire, Raps! On. Fire!" Cassandra said excitedly.  
  
"Sorry I missed it!" Rapunzel giggled.  
  
"Well, I can show you later." Cassandra grinned.  
  
"So, the King of Saporia has returned to his people." Xavier walked up to them with a smile. "Truly, your Majesty, you are a miracle-worker."  
  
Rapunzel blushed. "I didn't do it alone. I couldn't have done it without my friends backing me up!" She hugged Varian and smiled at all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, busy day! But, busy is good!


	52. A Necessary Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Ruddiger figures out who all they might be dealing with, his fellow animals have a choice to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"It's just a little further~!" Rapunzel said in a sing-song tone as she walked through the tunnels.  
  
"That's what she said about a half-hour ago." Varian remarked, looking at Clyde and Ruddiger with a smirk.  
  
"Well, we're getting closer!" Rapunzel insisted.  
  
"Don't worry, guys, we _are_ getting close." Cassandra assured them.  
  
After taking the rest of the day to rest, Rapunzel had greeted them all the next morning with the announcement that she was taking them to the Demantius Chamber. And so, off they went: Rapunzel, Eugene, Cassandra, Varian, the Brotherhood, the Millers, Ruddiger, Maximus and Pascal. Maximus was coming along because they decided that Varian's magnificent cape would've gotten caught on things and so he was sitting on his back with his cape draped over the stallion's back.  
  
"I _still_ don't see why this is necessary." Varian remarked. "I got through the tunnels just fine before without my cape getting caught on things."  
  
"Yes, and I spent _years_ walking around with my hair loose, but it's better to be safe than sorry." Rapunzel smirked up at him.  
  
"Ah, but my cape is not even a _third_ of the length of your seventy feet of hair, Princess." Varian retorted playfully.  
  
"We're here." Cassandra walked forward and pressed her hand against the wall. It opened up and they stepped into a cavern.  
  
"Kind of dark." Clyde remarked.  
  
Cassandra walked over with a torch she had been carrying and put it to some oil lining the wall. In moments, the room was lit up. Varian gasped and climbed off of Maximus, walking to the edge to look up at the device.  
  
"This...is... _so cool_!" He said excitedly, squealing a bit before he ran down the stairs.  
  
"Varian!" Rapunzel laughed and went after him.  
  
Ruddiger stood at the edge, looking up at the panels on the wall. "...Okay..." He pulled out a notepad and pencil, looking at the names he'd already taken note of from when he'd examined the crystal stakes earlier that day. "Here goes." He turned green and flew up to the panels, leaving the others to check out the device itself.  
  
He wasn't too interested in the work of his old teacher, honestly. Working with him, being lied to by him, it had disillusioned him to the mysterious workings of the machine made of science and magic. Besides, he'd seen so much like it in his time working with the man. Not usually so big, though. He glanced down at the others as they all joined Varian and Rapunzel at the bottom, listening to Rapunzel recount the story of the last time she came here, then moved his hand over one of the panels, focusing.  
  
He could sense the energy of the one trapped inside and he felt that they could sense _him_ , too. He let out a shuddering breath, the memories rushing through him, and then he made note of who it was before he moved on to the next panel, then the next, then the next.  
  
He wasn't even halfway done when he looked down and saw they had all sat down to talk. He sighed and then focused on his task, leaving them to it.  
  
\--  
  
"How long do you think he'll take?" Clyde asked, looking up at the glowing man high above them.  
  
"I don't know." Varian shrugged, sketching up a picture of the Demanitus Device. "Gosh, just _imagining_ him _building_ this thing...Lord Demanitus was really amazing."  
  
"Yeah." Rapunzel sighed. "Shame he's trapped in a monkey now."  
  
"Maybe there's a way to save him!" Varian said optimistically.  
  
"Eh, we'll have to talk to the Saporians about that." Eugene shrugged.  
  
"How many Disciples did she _have_?" Floyd said, looking up at Ruddiger working.  
  
" _Way_ too many." Clyde sighed.  
  
"We might be here a while" Rapunzel went to Maximus' saddlebags. "That's why I packed a _picnic_ ~!"  
  
"A picnic? In _this_ place?" Eugene chuckled a bit.  
  
"We've had them in worse." Rapunzel shrugged.  
  
"We better make sure to save Ruddiger some." Varian said, looking up at his friend. "He's gonna be pretty hungry."  
  
\--  
  
Ruddiger finished his list and paled, looking down at the others before he looked back at it. "Oh no...ohhhh no, this isn't good." He muttered, then flew down. "Okay, so, I have compiled a list of who is still sealed, so I can now make a list of who _isn't_ sealed and their powers! But, uh, we got a problem."  
  
"A problem?" Rapunzel asked, offering him a cupcake.  
  
"Yeah, uh...heh...Pascal, Max, Hamuel...how would you guys like to be human?" Ruddiger looked at them.  
  
"Why?" Eugene raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You know how I can control humans?" Ruddiger looked at him. Eugene nodded, shuddering as he recalled his little demonstration. "One of the other can control animals the same way. And we _really_ don't want our closest companions to be controlled by the enemy, right?"  
  
Maximus let out an alarmed whinney.  
  
"It'd just be temporary, just until it's all taken care of, but you guys, and probably Fidella, Owl and Axel, to be safe, shouldn't be human. In fact, it might be best to just change all of the Royal Guard Horses into humans, too. We don't want their training to be used against us, if they're anything like Max and Fidella." Ruddiger said grimly.  
  
Rapunzel looked at Pascal, who squeaked in reply.  
  
Varian looked at Adira. "Looks like your little joke the other day might actually be a reality."  
  
Hamuel cawed on King Edmund's shoulder.  
  
"We're gonna need to get him some clothes." Hector commented. " _Before_ he gets transformed."  
  
"Yeah, we should probably do that for _all_ of them." Eugene agreed.  
  
"Are you sure you're alright with this?" Quirin asked the bird.  
  
"He understands the necessity." King Edmund assured him.  
  
"Pascal is going to be human?" Cassandra chuckled. "Can't wait to see _that_."  
  
"The sooner we get them changed, the better." Ruddiger said grimly.  
  
"We'll contact the Saporians on the way back." Varian nodded. "Sit down and have some food?"  
  
Ruddiger sat next to him and Clyde and sighed heavily. "We really shouldn't be wasting ti--"  
  
"I made apple piiiiie." Rapunzel offered him a piece.  
  
Ruddiger stared at it, then grabbed the plate and started to eat. Rapunzel giggled.  
  
"Just think, Eugene, soon you'll be able to have arguments with Maximus without having to guess what he's saying all the time." Varian smirked at him.  
  
"I can understand him just fine already." Eugene frowned.  
  
"Are you sure you guys will all be okay with it, though?" Rapunzel asked, holding Pascal in her hands.  
  
Pascal looked thoughtful, then squeezed her thumbs with a smile and a nod. She sighed and held him close. "I'll miss having you on my shoulder, buddy."  
  
Varian pulled out his Communication Mirror and tapped it. "Andrew."  
  
It glowed and then Andrew's image appeared in the mirror. "Hey, Varian. How's it going?"  
  
"Well, uh, we're in the Demanitus Chamber right now. Impressive stuff, this...whoa. But, uhm, we need some of your mages to come back to Corona. turns out, there's a Disciple out there that can control animals and we have some loyal animals here that need to be turned human to prevent them being turned against us." Varian explained.  
  
"Alright, I'll go let the others know. We've been celebrating over here, having my dad back it's...heh, I bet you felt the same way when you got yours back. And it's all thanks to you and Rapunzel. Thank you." Andrew smiled softly.  
  
Varian smiled. "I'm glad that I was able to help you find him, and that he was still alive when we did. We'll be heading back to the castle soon."  
  
"Alright, we'll set out soon. But, just to be clear, all the animals are okay with this change, right?"  
  
"Well, we haven't asked Owl, Fidella and Axel yet, but Maximus, Pascal and Hamuel are okay with it." Varian nodded.  
  
"Good. We'll see you soon, buddy." Andrew said fondly, then the mirror went dark.  
  
"With that, we're packing up and heading back." Eugene said, getting up. "Come on, kid. Back on the horse, for probably the last time in a while, heh."  
  
"Pft, he'll probably just pick him up and carry him as a human, anyway." Ruddiger snickered.  
  
Varian was picked up by Quirin and put on Maximus' back and he gently stroked his head. "You sure you're okay with this? Walking on two legs won't be easy, you know."  
  
Maximus neighed in reply and Varian sighed. "I really wish we didn't have to do it, but...preventive measures." He looked up at the panels lining the wall.  
  
"Speaking of preventive, it might be best to put a ward on this place so they don't come in for reinforcements." Ruddiger said grimly.  
  
"Good idea." Rapunzel nodded. "We'll talk to Andrew and the others about that."  
  
\--  
  
Cassandra took Owl and Fidella to the side to explain to them what they had to do while Varian contacted Lady Caine and told her to bring Axel. Rapunzel had the joy of telling the Royal Guard that their loyal steeds were going to be liabilities in the coming battle and they would have to,, at least temporarily, be human.   
  
"If they want to change back after the danger is passed, then the Saporians will gladly do that for them." Rapunzel assured the confused and disgruntled men.  
  
By the time the Saporians arrived the next day, they had all the Guard Horses gathered with Maximus and Fidella and Axel in the courtyard. Pascal and Hamuel were sitting on top of Maximus and Ruddiger was there for moral support and to assure them that it would be okay. Hector had also brought over his erhino and bearcats to be changed, seeing as they, too, were powerful fighters.  
  
"I don't know what you're planning by having them all gather out here," Clementine said, raising an eyebrow, "but we're going to do this one at a time and give them some privacy."  
  
"We'll just take them onto the airship." Andrew chuckled. "Plenty of rooms there for them to recover and adjust to their new forms in."  
  
"That's what I figured." Ruddiger nodded. "Also, we need a ward put on the Demanitus Chamber to prevent Lucas or one of the others from getting reinforcements."  
  
"One spell at a time, boy!" Clementine whacked him on the head with her staff, earning a sharp yip in pain for her efforts. "Come along, then." She nodded to the animals. "Let's get this over with."  
  
Ruddiger followed them up and Andrew smiled at him. "They're gonna be okay."  
  
"I know, but I can help them adjust." Ruddiger insisted, following them below deck.  
  
Andrew shrugged and headed down to go into the castle.  
  
\--  
  
Cassandra paced back and forth anxiously as they waited. "What if something went wrong? I should _be_ there for them, _they'd_ be there for _me_."  
  
"It's going to be okay." Hector assured her, though he looked just as nervous.  
  
"Pascal will be fine, right?" Rapunzel said, looking at Eugene anxiously.  
  
"I'm sure it'll be alright." Eugene smiled gently.  
  
"Ruddiger is there to help them all." Varian reminded her.  
  
"I know..." She sighed. "I'm just worried. What is he gonna look like?"  
  
"We'll find out." Adira shrugged, swapping her King with her Rook.  
  
"Ah, hey, that's cheating!" Hector protested.  
  
"It's not cheating, it's an ability exclusive to the Rook." She said calmly.  
  
They were all sitting in the King's - well, Rapunzel's now - study, waiting for word. They heard a knock at the door and Andrew looked in with a smile. "Mind if I join you?"  
  
"Andrew!" Varian greeted.  
  
Lady Caine walked over from where she had been anxiously staring out the window to hug him. "Hey, welcome back. How was your dad?"  
  
"Oh, he was great. When he comes back to Corona for the reconstruction of Saporia, I'll introduce you to him." Andrew smiled, then looked at the others. "Clementine and the others are working on the animals now. They'll be human in a few hours, so don't worry. Kline is overseeing anything, nothing bad will happen."  
  
Rapunzel nodded, but still looked worried.  
  
"They _are_ going to need those clothes you mentioned you wanted to make them, are they done?" Andrew asked. "If not, we can lend them some Saporian clothes until they are."  
  
"Well, I went to do that, but then I realized that I don't have their sizes yet. So..." Rapunzel smiled sheepishly. "So, if you could provide them clothes, that'd be good."  
  
"No worries, Maisie will make sure all of them are dressed before they leave the airship." Andrew assured her.  
  
Varian walked over and started to dig around Frederic's old desk. Eugene walked over to join him. "What'cha doing?"  
  
"Oh, just digging around for more dirt on Frederic, or maybe some kind of clue about where he could've run to. Then again, Lucas teleported him away so I don't think anything will be in here."  
  
Eugene nodded, then jolted and looked over at Hector knocking over the chess board with a loud clatter.  
  
"Ugh, I'm tired of this stupid game!" He huffed and stormed over to glare out the window instead.  
  
"Sore loser." Adira said casually as she picked up the board. "Always has been."  
  
\--  
  
It was hours later when they finally got word that the animals had all been changed. Ruddiger came in to inform them and they all went to the airship to see for themselves.  
  
"Now, don't expect them to talk to you right away," Ruddiger said as they walked to the dining hall where they were eating. "They're still getting used to basic functions, that was _not_ fun to have to teach them." He cringed a bit.  
  
He opened the door and led them in. Several new people were sitting in Saporian clothes looking a little out of it. One of them stood out, a green-haired teenager, and he gasped and got up so fast that he fell over, the blond man next to him catching him before he could hit the floor.  
  
"Careful, Cal." Ruddiger called.  
  
"Pascal?" Rapunzel walked over and the teenager beamed up at her. "Hey!" She opened her arms and he dove into the hug. "Oof! I missed you, too!"  
  
"Rap!" He cried happily, but it was strained.  
  
"Like I said, they're still learning to use their vocal cords." Ruddiger said as the others came into the room to check out the other changed animals.  
  
"Owl? Fidella?" Cassandra approached two dark-skinned people that were sitting together next to the blond man that had caught Pascal. "Maximus?" The blond man looked up at her and nodded before he went back to his food.  
  
"Hey, Axel!" Lady Caine ran over to a large, muscular man that had dark skin with some vitiligo on various parts of his body. He smiled and hugged her.  
  
Hector got practically barreled over by a man and a woman that looked very similar and then a third man joined them, knocking him over fully.  
  
"I think we found your animals." Adira said, looking down at them, then gasped when a dark-skinned man passed by her and then bowed on one knee to Varian and King Edmund.  
  
"...Hamuel?" King Edmund guessed.  
  
The man looked up at him and nodded. His face was scarred like Hamuel's was damaged and he had a mischievous glint in his eye.  
  
King Edmund knelt and took his hands, pulling him to his feet. "Welcome to humanity, brother." He smiled.  
  
Adira left Hector to be squished and walked over to join them as Quirin moved closer to Hamuel.  
  
"We're gonna have to get all of you guys some armor." Eugene said thoughtfully. "I better go talk to the Captain."  
  
Rapunzel smiled and picked Pascal up in her arms. "I can still carry you, apparently!"  
  
He giggled and nodded, then nuzzled her. Eugene made a cross between a choking sound and a laugh.  
  
\--  
  
"Regulus is being a _nuisance_."  
  
"Yes, but when hasn't he been?" Lucas said with a shrug.  
  
The man next to him snorted and let out a chuckle. "Yes, that's true."  
  
"It was a miracle that you managed to repair the teapot to bring us back." The woman with them said, smoothing out her dress.  
  
"Well, how could we have a party and not invite The Feathers?" Lucas chuckled. "I suggest you don't keep the teapot so close to the battle next time."  
  
"It's not like we _expected_ a battle." The man sniffed indignantly.  
  
"Well, now you can get your revenge on them." Lucas chuckled. "So, Mother and Father Feather, what do you plan?"  
  
The two grinned evilly.  
  
\--  
  
Tromus fussed over the pulsating vines, muttering to himself. He hadn't expected to be stuck babysitting the Former King, but then this _was_ his place. As long as Lucas and the others handled the rest, he was content to stay here and watch the new Disciple's DNA be rewritten to make room for the new powers. One thing was for sure, Frederic wouldn't be the same when he came out. Not that he cared one way or the other.  
  
"Work, work, work." He muttered. "A Disciple's work is never done."  
  
\--  
  
Two cloaked figures walked through the gates of Corona and pushed back their hoods, the girls sighing softly in unison.  
  
"Well, Red, we made it back here." One of them said.  
  
"Mmhm." The other nodded.  
  
"Let's go see if we can find someone we know, huh?" The older of the two smiled and took her sister's hand, leading her down the road, passing by the town of Old Corona, which was still torn up by black rocks that had yet to lower.  
  
"Hopefully they'll have a place for us here." The older one said quietly. "I'm _so tired_ of wandering aimlessly..."  
  
"Mm..." The other girl nodded again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bright side, more Royal Guards! Except now we have no horses.
> 
> ((A/N: I have Maximus, Pascal, Hamuel, Ruddiger, Owl and Fidella in human forms on my Instagram, but I have yet to design the human forms for Hector's animals, who I almost forgot to include in this chapter, oop. That would've been nasty.))


	53. Old Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While everyone sleeps, Ruddiger slips out to find an old friend...or at least prevent a new foe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

"Maisie, these outfits are _so cute_!" Rapunzel said excitedly as Pascal showed off his new chameleon-scaled-pattern clothes. "How do you get them to look so perfectly like the pictures I drew?!"  
  
"That's my secret." Maisie said politely.  
  
"Your Majesty," Maximus walked up to her, looking uncomfortable in his new clothes, "if you don't mind, we of the Royal Guard would prefer to just wear our uniforms."  
  
"Oh, of course! But you need casual wear, too!" Rapunzel grinned. "You're not _always_ on duty, Max!"  
  
"Isn't he?" Pascal smirked.  
  
It had been a week since the animals had turned into human forms, and they all seemed to have adjusted well. _So_ well, in fact, that as soon as Hamuel got changed into the "Brotherhood-style" outfit that Maisie had made him, he walked out to go join the others with guarding Varian and Rapunzel hadn't seen him since.  
  
Come to think of it, she hadn't seen Ruddiger since he got his new clothes, either. He'd said he had someone to see and then left without another word. She hoped he was okay.  
  
\--  
  
Ruddiger had to admit, the Saporian Maisie had a _lot_ of talent. The clothes he'd asked him to create for him turned out _perfectly_ and, being here in these clothes, this human body, it was almost like those way-too-many years hadn't happened. But they _did_ happen. This forest wasn't there before, that stream wasn't there, there used to be a town in this spot here but it's been erased by time, _far_ too much time. He ran his gloved fingers across a tree as he passed it and then looked to the side, towards a tunnel. He'd never been to this spot himself, but he knew what it was. He walked over and stepped through the tunnel, shivering a bit at the aura he sensed.  
  
She was here.  
  
He stepped out and looked around, then walked over to look over the ruins of the tower that Gothel had kept Princess Rapunzel in for all of her formative years.  
  
"Are you here, Miss Gothel?" He asked softly, kneeling down to pick up a painting of her, a piece of the wall Rapunzel spent her entire childhood decorating.  
  
"Figures I'd find you snooping around here."  
  
Ruddiger gasped and looked up, then turned to face the speaker as he stood up. "Lucas." He growled.  
  
"Regulus." He walked over to him, his hands clasped behind his back. "What brings you here, hm?"  
  
"I'm confirming a theory." Ruddiger said, eyeing him warily. "And you?"  
  
"Ah, well, I _fully_ intended to just _leave her alone_ but, after you had the Saporians ward the chamber, I have to do some unpleasant things, like bothering a resting woman to get her to rejoin our Mistress's side."  
  
"Don't you think, if Gothel wanted _anything_ to do with Zhan Tiri anymore, she would've been working to free her _long_ before you were unsealed during the blizzard?" Ruddiger raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Hm, perhaps. Or perhaps she was too focused on herself to consider the thought." Lucas walked up close to him and stopped, smiling slyly. "How nostalgic, seeing you in those clothes. You know, you were once her favorite."  
  
"She turned me into a _raccoon_ for wanting to _go home_." Ruddiger frowned. "Why are you so invested in this, anyway? You've never cared for her beyond her being your employer. As long as you got to keep up your twisted games, you didn't care _what_ she did. So, why did you join her against Demanitus? Why are you doing all this now?"  
  
Lucas chuckled and leaned in closer, making Ruddiger step back. "You still ask too many questions like a child. I've always liked that about you." He playfully patted his cheek. "I want to bring her back so chaos will reign again. That's all. She will create a lawless world and people like me will be free to play however we like. Corona will be reduced to ruins and its citizens will scatter like mice and _I_ am the waiting cat watching them run and licking my lips in anticipation for that first...delicious... _bite_." He snapped his teeth at him and laughed, stepping back. "Ah, you should see your _face_! You used to be more fun." He walked past him, his hands clasped behind his back again. "What happened to you, hm? Why did you decide to turn on her for a Kingdom you had nothing to do with? You already destroyed Saporia, what was one more Kingdom? Why was _that_ the final straw?"  
  
"I felt guilty about Saporia. I put on a good show, but I still had a soul and a heart and some _semblance_ of humanity!" Ruddiger turned to him. "Something that _you_ have been lacking since before I _met_ you, _clearly_!"  
  
"What is the definition of a human, Regulus?" Lucas asked, turning to him. "What is the definition of humanity? The definition changes depending on who you ask. Some people think that humans are advanced, stronger than anyone else, and others think that humans are barbaric in comparison to other creatures. If human nature is living for what you want, then how are my goals anything less than human? Humans kill for fun and take and hoard anything they want like dragons and yet they think themselves above animals. Humans are greedy and cruel and vicious and they will step on others to get higher up whatever ladder they need to climb. Human nature is putting oneself before others, it takes a LOT of willpower to put others before yourself. It is harder to NOT kill than to kill, and if humans were not taught morals by their forebears, if they were left to their base instincts, then humans would be the most monstrous of creatures to ever exist."  
  
He chuckled and walked back around him and Ruddiger turned to follow his movements. "With that in mind, _dear_ Regulus, how am _I_ the one that is lacking humanity? _I_ am the most _human_ of the two of us; you with your needless empathy and childlike obsession with what's 'right' and 'wrong' are hardly a human at all."  
  
"And to think I expected to have a _peaceful_ rest."  
  
They both turned to see a blue figure floating over to them, a long-haired woman with an annoyed expression.  
  
"Miss Gothel." They both greeted.  
  
"I did _not_ expect my peaceful eternal slumber to be interrupted by you two _squabbling_." She hovered next to them, crossing her arms over her chest, eyebrow quirked. "Then again, I haven't slept peacefully since the blizzard." She sighed heavily and looked at the ruins of her tower dejectedly.  
  
"Well, now that I have your attention." Lucas turned to her. "Miss Gothel, I have been organizing a little reunion of Zhan Tiri's Disciples and--"  
  
"I am _aware_ of what you've been organizing. Didn't I say that I haven't slept well since the blizzard?" She frowned. "When a woman can't sleep, she wanders. I'm aware of what you've been doing, the games you've been playing, and I have been staying out of it. But I want you to know that I do not _approve_ of _any_ of it, and so if this is you attempting to call me back into that group of _lunatics_ , my answer is _no_."  
  
"Miss Gothel, we could bring you back to life, you know. with your daughter--"  
  
"I want you to keep your hands off my daughter." She said sharply, cutting Lucas off. "BOTH of them. I am tired of constantly fighting to remain young, as least in this state I no longer age." She examined her nails. "My answer is 'no', Lucas. Take it and leave."  
  
Lucas looked at her in disbelief, then at Ruddiger, who was giving him a little wave with just his fingers, a grin on his face. "...Very well. I will give you time to reconsider my offer." He vanished in a burst of green fire.  
  
Gothel and Ruddiger both rolled their eyes and then she floated over to sit on the ruins. "So, you have regained your human form. Congratulations. How is Varian?"  
  
"You know Varian?" He asked, walking over to sit across from her on another broken piece.  
  
"Mmhm." She smiled fondly. "He's a fascinating boy, isn't he? So curious and so inventive, never stopping to rest without being held down. Much like you."  
  
He chuckled, rubbing his cheek. "You know...I kind of hoped you wouldn't have changed too much." He sighed. "Was it worth it, though? All of it, just to get a flower?"  
  
"Well, had I not, Cassandra would not be here today." She said casually. "And everything was _fine_ until King Frederic decided to rip the _entire flower from the ground_. He couldn't have taken a petal? The _whole_ flower?" She sighed heavily. "Well, I suppose it wasn't so bad, for me. Rapunzel was lovely, even though I had to be cruel to her to keep her from wanting to leave."  
  
"Why didn't you go back for Cassandra?" Ruddiger asked.  
  
She sighed. "You know first-hand how ruthless the Royal Guard can be. She doesn't know it, but they were watching her _closely_ for any sign that I would come and get her before I died." She shuddered. "Once I was dead, they stopped watching her so much."  
  
"Apparently, that was a mistake." They said in unison, then laughed a bit.  
  
"Well, it seems to have worked out...well...mostly okay. She met her dad, she found out you were her mother, she helped start a revolution, and now Frederic's somewhere out there." He gestured to the side. "I know you said you wouldn't help them...but, would you consider helping _us_?"  
  
"At the moment, I am simply observing. I have not properly learned to use my...other form, and so there is not much I can do. However, if I decide to take action, I will let you know to bring Rapunzel to meet with me. If she decides that she is content with the idea of us fighting the Disciples together, then I will assist you. However, if she is not, then I will continue to simply observe." She clasped her hands in her lap. "Is that reasonable enough, Regulus?"  
  
"It's better than an outright 'no'." He grinned.  
  
She smiled a bit. "Well, you better run along and rejoin them, then. I will be here, or around." She made a vague gesture around them.  
  
He stood up. "Thank you, Miss Gothel."  
  
She nodded. "You know...if I had not taken Rapunzel that day, she would have grown up to be just like her forebears, continuing the twisted traditions she is stopping. Just something to think about. I may have put her down and kept her away from the world...but, at least I taught her the dangers of men that hide cruelty behind their smiles."  
  
"I have thought about that." He sighed and headed for the tunnel. "But, I think Arianna would try to kill you _again_ if you ever said that to her face."  
  
"Hm, I'd like to see her try." Gothel smirked.  
  
\--  
  
"So...Gothel is right out." Lucas sighed as he walked into the House of Yesterday's Tomorrow.  
  
"What happened?" Father Feather asked as he served him tea out of a normal teapot.  
  
Lucas picked it up and sat down in the chair in front of it, taking a sip before he slammed it down on the table. " _Regulus_ was there, _that's_ what happened. We got into a debate, she got annoyed, turned down my offer and called us all _lunatics_ and then, when she thought I was gone, told Regulus that she would consider joining _his_ side. Apparently, she and Varian have some positive history, plus she's _very_ fond of her daughters and told me to keep my hands off of them. Both of them." He threw his hands up. "So, Gothel is RIGHT out!"  
  
"Apparently." One of the others said, sipping at their tea.  
  
"We're moving on to the next plan. Is the tea ready?" Lucas asked.   
  
"We're slipping it into Corona on the next shipment." Mother Feather assured him.  
  
"Good. Good." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I should've just _killed_ him when I thought he was a normal raccoon! Fuck!"  
  
"Language." Mother scolded, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Don't patronize me!" He got up from the table and stormed off. "I'm going to check on our newest Brother."  
  
"I've never _seen_ him like this." Father remarked.  
  
"He doesn't like to lose." One of the others shrugged. "He'll cheer up once I have control of all the transformed birds."  
  
"I sure hope so, Melina." Father sighed heavily. "I sure hope so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a pleasant night.
> 
> ((A/N: And the honor of our very first f-bomb in this fic apparently goes to Lucas!))


	54. Something Strange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's trouble in Corona and everyone's on edge. But, hey, two old friends are back in town!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

The next morning, Rapunzel was roused from a fitful rest by the sound of knocking on her door. “Your Majesty? It's morning.”  
  
“Mmm?” Rapunzel yawned. “Uhm...wait, where's Cassandra?” She looked around, smacking her lips.  
  
“On the training grounds, Your Majesty. Princess Juniper said that she wanted to 'make good on her promise' and took Lady Cassandra and Lord Ruddiger to the training grounds.”  
  
Rapunzel blinked, then gasped. “Oh, wait!” She got out of bed, grabbed a robe to cover her nightgown and ran out of the door past a startled maid. “Juniper, come on! You said you'd wait until later!”  
  
Okay, granted, this _was_ later, there was a lull in what was going on, maybe she thought it'd be a good time. Or maybe Cassandra just accidentally did something to set her off. Either way, she needed to get down there and stop them!  
  
She found the training grounds already filled with spectators. Varian apparently had set himself as the referee, since he was standing near them, and Andrew was looking as exasperated as Rapunzel felt.  
  
“How long has this been going on?” Rapunzel asked, walking over to him.  
  
“...A while. I haven't been keeping track.” He admitted.  
  
“How did it _start_?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“Well, it startled with an arm-wrestling match, which Juniper won, and Cassandra said that she bet she could beat her in _real_ combat. Then she said 'okay, I'll let you prove it. You can even bring Ruddiger as backup'. Then she announced to the Royal Guard that this match was going on and...” He gestured to the trio locked in combat together. “It's still going.”  
  
Rapunzel sighed. “...Well...as long as it's under control.”  
  
“Don't worry, Varian's keeping an eye on things. I just wish Juniper wouldn't do this all the time.”  
  
“At least she's not just attacking them randomly.” Rapunzel shrugged. “I'm going up to my room to get changed for the day.” She headed back to the steps into the castle.  
  
“Your Majesty!” Maximus ran through the courtyard and stopped at the foot of the steps just as she reached the door. “Something terrible is happening in town! People are reporting their children going missing!”  
  
“What?” She turned him with a gasp. “Go assemble the Guard, tell the Captain and tell Juniper that whatever they're doing will have to _wait_!” She headed in, hurrying back to her room as he ran to the training grounds.  
  
–  
  
“Missing children?” Varian frowned.  
  
“Yes, all around the ages of 12 and 16.” Fidella reported.  
  
“This the usual crime issue, or is it Disciple-related?” Eugene asked.  
  
“Ruddiger?” Varian looked at him.  
  
Ruddiger frowned thoughtfully. “Was there anything about these kids that particularly stood out? And are they all boys or also girls?”  
  
“Seven girls, thirteen boys.” Captain Solomon said grimly.  
  
“Then it's not Lucas. He only targets boys.” Ruddiger pulled out his list and moved his finger down the line. “Let's see...missing kids, missing kids...could be The Jester.”  
  
“The what?” Varian asked.  
  
“Did you just say 'Jester'?” Lance paled. “As in, a clown?”  
  
“If you can help us zero in on that person's aura, we can track him down and save the children.” Floyd said. Clyde nodded in agreement.  
  
“The Jester was basically like the Pied Piper of Hamelin. He used magic to manipulate children to do his bidding, usually using their life-force to fuel our powers.” Ruddiger explained. “He never killed them, though, they only ever felt sleepy. Then they would be given tea and turned into birds forever by Mother and Father Feather, then controlled by Melina to do _terrible_ things.”  
  
“And you were _part_ of this?” Eugene asked in disbelief.  
  
“Did you forget what I've _done_?” Ruddiger sighed heavily. “ _I_ was the one that came up with the idea to use Corona to take down Saporia. I was a _real monster_ back then. But, I'm no longer that person, and I intend to use my knowledge of that time to help stop the Disciples _for good_.”  
  
“And you think that's what's going on now?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“But, if the Feathers are who I'm _thinking_ they are, they're gone now.” Cassandra said, frowning.  
  
“No, they aren't.” Ruddiger said, shaking his head. “I'll help you zero in on The Jester. If we're lucky, we can catch him before he's drained their life-force.”  
  
“Let's get to it, then.” Floyd said, getting up. “Clyde, I want you to stay here. You're still young enough to be affected by his magic.”  
  
  
“Alright.” Clyde nodded, then watched them leave together.  
  
“We'll go with you!” Maximus said as he and Fidella followed them out, as well as a few more of the Royal Guard.  
  
“It _can't_ be true.” Rapunzel said anxiously. “Those people _can't_ be back...”  
  
“I'll tighten security.” Captain Solomon promised. “These people won't get through our defenses.”  
  
Rapunzel swallowed nervously and nodded. “Varian, uhm, how is the translating going?”  
  
“It's going alright. I've had to put it down to help with reconstruction of Old Corona, though.” He admitted. “Plus, I've been kept under close watch here.”  
  
“Well, why don't we go to Old Corona together? I want to check on progress on reconstruction, anyway.” Rapunzel smiled.  
  
Varian nodded. “Alright, sounds good. I think we can call this meeting to a close.”  
  
“Right, yes. Meeting adjourned, everyone.” Rapunzel said, and the room slowly emptied out.  
  
“Want us to go with you to Old Corona?” Juniper asked, walking over to Rapunzel.  
  
“Well, I mean, if you want to.” Rapunzel nodded.  
  
“A distraction might be good.” Andrew nodded.  
  
They headed out, meeting Varian's father on the way and soon joined by Hamuel, and left the castle.  
  
“Sooooo, am I hearing this right?” Rapunzel gasped as she heard a voice and looked down to the bottom of the steps to see familiar faces. “You're _Queen_ now?”  
  
“Angry! Red!” She ran down and pulled them both into a hug. “Oh, Eugene! Eugene, look who's back!” She looked over her shoulder and he came running with Lance.  
  
“Heeey, it's our girls!” Eugene said as he and Lance came over and each scooped up a girl in their arms. “Look at you! Have you gotten taller? _Love_ the hair, Red!”  
  
Varian cleared his throat. “Who're these two?”  
  
Rapunzel looked at him. “Oh! Varian, this is Angry and Red. Girls, this is Va--”  
  
“You're The Alchemist of Old Corona!” Angry blurted out. “What's with the outfit?” She tilted her head to the side.  
  
Varian laughed. “Everyone _always_ asks about the outfit. I didn't pick it, it's magic. I'm guessing you two are criminals, then?”  
  
“Ex-thieves.” Angry corrected as they were set down. “We've been working to turn over a new leaf, thanks to Princ— _Queen_ Rapunzel's influence. And also these two.” He nodded to Eugene and Lance, who laughed. “And we've been traveling all over and, well...we decided we wanted to come back and live here, in Corona!”  
  
“Well, you picked a hell of a time.” Juniper remarked. “We're kind of in a messy situation.”  
  
“How old are they?” Andrew asked Lance quietly.  
  
“Uhh, old enough we should probably keep an eye on them.” Lance said, realizing what he was getting out.  
  
“Right.” Andrew nodded. “Well, you're just in time, we were just about to oversee reconstruction of Old Corona.”  
  
Red hid behind Rapunzel's skirt. “Uhm...who is he?”  
  
“Oh, right!” Rapunzel giggled. “Girls, this is Andrew and Juniper, the Prince and Princess of Saporia. They're our allies now, it's a loooong story.”  
  
“Can you tell us on the way?” Angry asked eagerly.  
  
Rapunzel giggled. “Okay, okay. Let's, uhm...well, we're going to have to balloon it, because we don't have horses right now.”  
  
“What happened to the horses?” Red asked.  
  
“Well, all the animals got turned into humans. It's part of the long story.” Rapunzel turned to Andrew. “Where's the balloon docked?”  
  
“This way.” Andrew motioned for them to follow him.  
  
“Why is your cape so long?” Angry picked up Varian's cape.  
  
“Trust me, if I had it _my_ way, I wouldn't have a cape at all.” Varian assured her.  
  
Juniper laughed.  
  
–  
  
“And so, that's when I decided to lead a revolution against my father and, well, we did it! But now my father's gone and joined the Disciples of Zhan Tiri, I think, so we're dealing with her followers messing around in Corona.” Rapunzel said as they set down in Old Corona. “And one of them can control animals, so that's why we don't have any animals right now, they're all human.”  
  
“Even me!” Pascal said cheerfully.  
  
Hamuel sighed and looked out at the city, which was currently being rebuilt. Well, as much as they could while the black rocks still stood.  
  
“So, how come you can't do that land-restore-y spell and fix everything?” Angry asked.  
  
“Well, it doesn't work like that.” Varian admitted. “The Dark Kingdom still had black rocks, we just healed the land. I mean, _the castle_ is made of black rocks. And this land doesn't _need_ healing, it just needs the rocks removed. Which is why I'm going back to my lab to continue translating the scroll.”  
  
“Oh, okay.” Angry nodded. “That makes sense.”  
  
“On that note, there's my place.” Varian got out of the hot air balloon once it landed and Quirin and Hamuel followed him out. “Looks like Adira and Hector are here, too.” He said, noticing smoke coming from the chimney.  
  
“They've been making sure no one on the enemy's side enters our home.” Quirin explained.  
  
Varian nodded, then turned to the others. “Well, I'll be in my lab if you need me.”  
  
Rapunzel nodded. “Will do.”  
  
Juniper looked thoughtful, walking up to place her hand on the wall. “Huh.”  
  
“'Huh'?” Varian looked at her.  
  
“I don't think you have to worry about any Disciples coming in here. It's already been warded off from demons, evil spirits and poltergeists.” She looked at him.  
  
“Wait, but then how did...” Varian glanced away. “Hm. Maybe they didn't count as 'evil'...”  
  
“What is it?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“Well, uh...there have been two Disciples under our roof, at different times.” Varian admitted. “Ruddiger and...uhm...Gothel. She briefly stayed with us before.”  
  
“ _Gothel_ wasn't ' _evil_ '?” Eugene raised an eyebrow.  
  
Quirin sighed. “She was complicated.” He motioned for Varian to go in ahead of him and Varian nodded and went in with Hamuel.  
  
“So...who warded it?” Andrew asked. “None of us did.”  
  
“I don't know.” Juniper shrugged. “I just sense the ward. What I _do_ know, though, is that whoever did it has to still be alive, or it'd die with them.”  
  
Quirin pursed his lips. “...Ulla or Donella, I suspect.”  
  
“Ulla? Donella?” Andrew and Juniper turned to him.  
  
“Varian's mother and her friend. When I first came to Corona, I found them about to be arrested for blowing up a barn. Of course, I didn't _know_ the situation, I just saw a bunch of armed guards attacking two helpless women pleading for mercy and...jumped into it.” He looked a bit embarrassed. “Luckily, Frederic still had a sane mind at the time and got us all out of trouble, granted them his royal protection and allowed us to live in here. I suppose they warded the place after that.”  
  
“Wait, wait, which one is Varian's mother?” Juniper asked.  
  
“Ulla.” Quirin sighed softly. “But, it was probably Donella who put up the ward. Donella and Ulla left on a trip to find some alchemy-related thing and Donella returned alone with an apology and Ulla's bag.”  
  
“Oh...my condolences.” Andrew said softly.  
  
“I suppose I should be grateful to her, but I'm still furious with her.” Quirin looked at the building. “I suspect this ward she placed was the reason that monster didn't hurt my son before you made that Deal, Andrew.”  
  
“Yes...that sounds about right.” Andrew nodded. “This ward and the Captain.”  
  
“Wouldn't be great if this was cast by his mother, though?” Rapunzel said with a dreamy smile. “It'd be proof that she's still alive somewhere, and is just unable to come home, like I was!”  
  
“We could have Clementine or Kline check.” Juniper offered.  
  
“Even if it was proof she lives, I wouldn't tell Varian. I have avoided talking about his mother for many years because it was too painful to think about. If we gave him hope, he'd want to go out looking for her.” Quirin shook his head. “Let's just not concern ourselves with it.” He walked inside and shut the door.  
  
“If _I_ had proof that _my_ family was alive, I _wouldn't_ want it hidden from me.” Angry frowned.  
  
Rapunzel sighed. “They have a...complicated family. So, girls!” She turned to her. “Why don't we walk about and we'll pick a house for you to stay in?”  
  
“Sounds great!” Angry grinned.  
  
“Yeah...great.” Red nodded. “Though, we found this really great treehouse that--”  
  
“For the last time, Red, we're _not_ living in a tree! I'm tired of living on the road, I want a house with a roof and doors and stability that doesn't rock hard enough to almost knock me out of it when the wind blows too hard!” Angry walked over to her. “We already _talked_ about this!”  
  
Red fidgeted with her leaf necklace, looking dejected. “B-But...”  
  
“Siblings, huh?” Juniper walked over and knelt down. “Look, it's _pretty_ clear that you two aren't in complete agreement on this yet. Why don't we show you around the place and then you two can discuss it after the fact. If you're worried about stability in the tree-house, we can help you with that. But it might be best to have a house for the winter months, at least, not to mention heavy storms.”  
  
“A heavy enough storm can topple the treehouse with you in it.” Andrew nodded. “Not to mention the chances of being struck by lightning. It's always good to have a backup plan.”  
  
“Says the guy that wallowed in prison for a year.” Juniper got up and nudged him with a smirk.  
  
Andrew sighed heavily. “I learned my lesson!”  
  
“Andrew's right.” Eugene walked over and knelt down to look Red in the eyes. “A treehouse may _seem_ like a charming place to live, but it's actually really dangerous. Just...give the places here a chance, hm? They're a bit beat-up, but maybe you can find a home among them.”  
  
She sighed and nodded. “Okay.”  
  
He smiled and rubbed her shoulder, then got up. “Come on.” He smiled at Rapunzel and she beamed.  
  
“So...you're good with kids?” Lance asked Juniper, turning to her.  
  
“Eh, somewhat.” She shrugged.  
  
“Me too.” Lance smiled.  
  
“Your Majesty! Help!” A man ran up to them, one of the shepherds.  
  
“Earl!” Rapunzel turned to him. “What's happened?!"  
  
Quirin, Varian and Hamuel came out of the manor, attracted by the yelling.  
  
“It's my sheep! Come quick!” The man said anxiously before running off.  
  
Rapunzel looked at the others and then they all headed over.  
  
–  
  
“That...is...some... _talented_ sheep.” Varian said, tilting his head as they watched Earl's sheep balancing on each other on top of a rock, trying to keep off the ground.  
  
“What are they _doing_ up there?” Rapunzel asked with confusion.  
  
“Something's got them scared.” Earl revealed.  
  
“Like what?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“Maybe the creepy cultist that can apparently control animals?” Eugene suggested quietly.  
  
“I don't know for sure,” Earl admitted, “but the same thing happened to my neighbor's flock. In fact, livestock all over Corona's been acting strange.”  
  
“I don't think this is that Melina person's doing.” Varian said thoughtfully. “These, uh, _gymnastics_ are all the sheep's fear.”  
  
“I don't sense _any_ remnants of Disciple magic here.” Juniper confirmed.  
  
“So, it's something _completely unrelated_ to our problem?” Eugene groaned. “Great, _just_ what we need. _More_ problems to add to our problems!”  
  
“Don't worry,” Rapunzel assured Earl, “we'll get to the bottom of this.” He turned to Hamuel, who had been silently following Varian. “Can you track down whatever scared them?”  
  
“Maximus or Ruddiger could do a better job, but I can try.” Hamuel said, walking over to examine the area carefully.  
  
“Varian, can you mix up a trap for whatever it is that's scaring the sheep?” Rapunzel asked him.  
  
“Yeah, I can set goo traps.” Varian nodded.  
  
“Alright, let's get to that.” Rapunzel said.  
  
Red watched the adults and teenager talk anxiously, then glanced to the side and looked over as she thought she heard something. She squinted and stared at the bushes, but her sister interrupted her with a “Come on!” and she gasped as she was yanked away and back to the group, who were heading off following Hamuel.  
  
Hamuel stopped and held up a hand. “...There's something very unnatural here.”  
  
“Says the crow in the form of a human.” Eugene smirked. Varian nudged him and walked over to him. “What is it?”  
  
Hamuel pointed at the ground. “It looks like the tracks of a wolf, but it's too large.”  
  
“He's right,” Eugene said as they all crowded around. “These _do_ look like wolf prints.”  
  
“If they are, that is _one_ big wolf.” Angry said, measuring the size with her hands.  
  
“That, from the looks of it, walks on two legs.” Andrew said, thoughtfully.  
  
“So, we're looking at a bipedal wolf that has paws as big as Angry's head?” Varian cringed. “Imagine having to fight _that_ thing...”  
  
“Says the guy in indestructible armor! For the record, I don't want to imagine it.” Lance shuddered.  
  
Hamuel suddenly drew his sword and Quirin moved closer to Varian as they saw a figure in the trees. The figure turned and fled and they all gave chase, Hamuel taking the lead with everyone else following closely.  
  
“Rapunzel, let down your hair!” Juniper told her, and Rapunzel untied her braids and swung her hair like a lasso as they chased down whatever was in the trees. The figure jumped out of the trees and the group followed closely.  
  
“Wait!” Varian cried, seeing human boots. “That's _not_ the big wolf! They're _human_!”  
  
Rapunzel swung her hair and tossed it. Hamuel got in front of the stranger and slashed at them, making them step back, just in time to get caught by Rapunzel's hair and caught tight.  
  
The stranger thrashed and roared and Andrew walked over and pulled off their hood. “Enough playing pretend. We have _enough_ troubles without you scaring people by _pretending_ to be a monster.”  
  
Rapunzel held her hair taut and then walked over with the others to look at who this person was. She glared at them all and struggled in the hair's hold. “Who _are_ you?” She demanded. “You're not one of my subjects.”  
  
“Captain Creighton, world-class big-game tracker, at your service.” She said smugly.  
  
“Ugh, a _hunter_.” Andrew said, stepping away from her like she had the plague.  
  
“Do you treat _all_ Corona's guests this way?” She asked, looking at Rapunzel.  
  
“Just the ones that introduce themselves by sneaking around in creepy costumes and scaring people. Varian, contact Ruddiger. If he's free, tell him we need help figuring out if this person is friend...or foe.” Rapunzel said firmly.  
  
“We don't need Ruddiger.” Varian shook his head and walked over to the woman, releasing her from Rapunzel's hair. “You look like you've been traveling a while. Are you hungry?” He asked pleasantly.  
  
“Famished.” She replied.  
  
“Come on back to my home in Old Corona, we'll make sure you're well-fed.” Varian assured her, offering his arm.  
  
“It's nice to know _someone_ in Corona has hospitality.” She said, laughing and patting him on the back before they walked off together, Quirin and Hamuel following them.  
  
“...He's going to drug her with truth serum, isn't he?” Lance asked once she was out of hearing range.,  
  
“Yep.” Eugene nodded. “He most certainly is.”  
  
“She's gonna haaaate iiiiit.” Juniper said, laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is this Captain Creighton and what does she want?
> 
> ((A/N: I thought of two songs when naming this chapter and the first one to guess both of them gets a drawing request!))


	55. Precautions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Using his truth serum, Varian finds out what, exactly, Creighton is chasing, and her intentions for it. While that's going on, Ruddiger leads an assault on The Jester.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

While Varian treated the woman to a feast, the others went back to checking out the village. Hamuel and Quirin stood guard while Varian did the cooking, and then set the food down in front of her. “Enjoy.” He smiled.  
  
“Mmm, smells good!” She said, eagerly digging in.  
  
Varian walked over and sat down in the chair across from her, leaning his head on his hand as he waited for the serum to take effect. “So, what brings you to Corona, Captain Creighton?”  
  
“I'm tracking a werewolf.” She said, swallowing and setting her fork down next to the empty plate.   
  
Varian served her more food. “A werewolf, huh? And you're sure they came to Corona?”  
  
“Of course, I'm sure!” She continued to eat. “I'm the best big-game tracker in the world, you think I can't follow a werewolf to this place?!” She reached for a glass and Varian set it closer to her, watching as she guzzled it down. “I took care of its previous host and then chased it across the continent to this place. It's all right here in this book.” She pulled out a book and set it on the table and Varian watched curious as she opened it up to read it. “What we are dealing with is Maledicta Lupus; the Wolf's Curse. But, for you laymen, a werewolf.”  
  
“Is this werewolf powerful?” Varian asked.  
  
“Oh, you _bet_ it is. A lone werewolf could take on an entire village and leave not a _single_ survivor. And, many times, the werewolf came from _inside_ the village.” Captain Creighton said, banging her fist on the table. “The Wolf's Curse travels the globe in search of host bodies. It _feeds_ on untapped rage, so its ideal host is someone who harbors a deep-seated anger.” She turned the pages as she went on. “It inhabits his body, and causes him to turn into a _raging werewolf_ every full moon for the rest of his life!”  
  
“Sounds terrible. How can we detect it?” Varian asked. “We'd prefer to take care of this problem ourselves, you might cause a panic and we don't need that right now.”  
  
“Hah! As if I'd share a profe—ngh!” She brought her hands to her throat and then look at him in horror. “What...did you...do to me?”  
  
He grinned and closed the book, taking it from her and tucking it under his arm. “Hi, I'm Varian. You might not know me so well, but I'm The Alchemist of Old Corona. I sent truth serum-laced cookies to the castle last year, stole a withered magical flower and kidnapped the Queen. The food you just ate was filled with enough truth serum to have you tell the truth for _the_ _next few days_. Now, let's try this again.” He grinned. “How can we identify the werewolf?”  
  
She cringed.  
  
–  
  
“A blue paw-print?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“Yeah. The werewolf's host will have a blue paw-print on their face, hands or arms.” Varian explained.  
  
“I still can't believe we're actually dealing with a _werewolf_.” Pascal said, sitting cross-legged on Frederic's old throne. “By the way, what'd you do with the hunter lady?”  
  
“Well, I _was_ going to let her go, but then I asked her how she 'took care of' the previous host and basically I handed her in for conspiracy to murder.” Varian shrugged. “Anyways, we should start looking for whoever it is, the next full moon is coming up very soon.”  
  
“Alright, let's get started.” Rapunzel nodded. “Uhm... _you're_ not the wolf, right? I know you can't move the rocks yet, but...”  
  
He sighed. “Starting to wonder if I should just ask her for the incantation, because they'd _really_ come in handy. No, I'm not.” He assured her.  
  
“Right...but how do I know you're being honest with me?” Rapunzel pointed out.  
  
He chuckled. “Okay, fine. We'll dose everyone with truth serum.”  
  
“Cookies again? Pete's gonna plot your murder.” Eugene grinned from Rapunzel's side.  
  
“I was thinking juice, actually. And he can _try_ , but he can't even get to me.” Varian smirked and nodded towards his ever-present guards.  
  
Eugene and Pascal laughed. “Yeah, that's true!” Eugene agreed.  
  
“So, how are we going to do this?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“Honestly, the wisest course of action would be to inform the people what's going on and coordinate. If rumors spread, people will act on their own. Let's not forget what happened with the revolution.” Varian reminded her.  
  
Rapunzel cringed. “Yeah... _that_ was...a mess. I never asked, how did you know where everyone lived?”  
  
“I listen, I observe, I remember.” He tapped his head. “We better call everyone to the throne room and discuss the situation. We've seen what happens if we hide things from the public, after all.” He lightly tugged on his hair.  
  
Rapunzel nodded. “Yeah...yeah, we have.” She said grimly, looking at Eugene.  
  
“I'll go tell the Captain.” Eugene nodded and headed out of the throne room.  
  
Rapunzel sighed and then looked to the side as her mother came in from the side. “Mom.” She stood up.  
  
“I heard what's going on.” She gestured to the door. “Isn't a werewolf...an animal?”  
  
“Sometimes, but it's also a man.” Varian nodded. “We just need to make sure that they aren't out where the Disciples can get them when they shift.”  
  
Arianna nodded. “You should warn the search party, as well.”  
  
“We will.” Rapunzel assured her with a smile, then nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. 'Hey, uhm...mom? Am I doing okay?”  
  
“You're doing fine, sweetheart.” She walked over and hugged her, kissing her temple gently. “And even if you weren't, no one would fault you for making a little mistake. After all, you've only just started. And you have so many people to turn to for guidance.”  
  
Rapunzel nodded with a smile. “Yeah, I do. I have you, and Varian, and King Edmund, and the Saporians, and Eugene, and even King Trevor.”  
  
“And me!” Pascal chimed in.  
  
Rapunzel giggled and got up to walk over and hug him. “Of course, you too, Pascal!”  
  
Arianna sighed. “Yeah...I must say, hearing that he's been allied with the Saporians was...surprising, but also not too surprising at the same time. I knew he didn't like Frederic and Corona, but I never expected it to be because he knew of the...the atrocities committed by Frederic's family.” She looked a little ill. “That bunker...such a horrifying thing...”  
  
“Yeah, well, you should've seen my room.” Varian shrugged. “your creepy husband was planning to give me the Gothel treatment.”  
  
Arianna shuddered, then smiled a bit. “Still...because we found out about it, we were able to free everyone, and it's so good to see Prince Andrew and Princess Juniper really and truly happy. I look forward to meeting King Crawford myself, when he was arrested I was...” She sighed. “Well...stricken with grief. I shut myself away for most of those years and...pretended the world didn't exist unless Frederic brought me out into it.”  
  
Varian smiled sympathetically. “Well...at least you didn't go off the deep end like we did.”  
  
“We?” She asked, confused.  
  
“Frederic and I...we _both_ have issues with processing grief and loss.” Varian sighed, looking to the side. “I hate to say it, but your husband and I actually have a _lot_ in common.”  
  
She nodded thoughtfully. “Well...” She cleared her throat. “If you're...not busy, do you all want to join me for afternoon tea?”  
  
“Well, I think we can spare a bit of time.” Rapunzel smiled as Pascal got up eagerly.   
  
Varian pulled out his Communication Mirror to contact Ruddiger as they headed out of the throne room together.  
  
–  
  
“RRRAH!” Ruddiger roared as he slammed the costumed Disciple into the wall. “Release them from your SPELL, Jester!” He roared.  
  
“Aw, Reggie, did you forget my name?” He asked teasingly.  
  
“You don't _deserve_ for me to use it! Release the children from your spell!” Ruddiger growled, holding a blade to his neck.  
  
“Aw, but once I do, the demon hunters will be free to attack me.” He snaked a hand free and gripped Ruddiger's shirt roughly, lifting him into the air and throwing him away from him. “And _that_ would be a _problem--_ ” _  
  
_A burst of fire flew at him and he screeched in alarm, quickly moving to avoid it. “Geez! Using fire magic is cheating!”  
  
“Ruddiger, you're going to have to use your own power on these children!” Floyd told him as he gripped a red stone tightly and fired off another burst of flame at The Jester. “He's not going to let them go, but we can't do much more than magic while they're holding onto us!”  
  
“And the ones that can't do _magic_ are pretty much _useless_.” Maximus muttered.  
  
Ruddiger groaned. “Alright, but keep firing at him! I need a bit of time!” He jumped away from The Jester, who flipped backward to avoid a burst of flame, and then held out his hands, his eyes glowing green as the children glowed briefly and then he moved his fingers as they all let go of the adult fighters and stepped back silently. He directed them over to a side wall as everyone else charged at The Jester, keeping them in place.  
  
His Communication Mirror started to glow and he groaned. “ _N_ ot _now_.” He muttered.  
  
“Agh! Fine, I retreat! For now. But you can't protect them forever, Regulus!” The Jester hissed. “You will _sorely_ regret betraying us back then!”  
  
Floyd pulled out one of his stakes and threw it, but it hit the wall behind him as he burst into green fire just before it hit. “...Shit.”  
  
“I'll track him down.” Ruddiger walked over and picked up the stake, then hissed and dropped it.  
  
“Right, uhm, you probably can't touch it.” Floyd walked over and picked it up. “Even though you're _technically_ magically registered as being taken care of, it will still burn you.” He put it back in its pocket.  
  
“I noticed.” Ruddiger muttered, then picked up his mirror, seeing it was still glowing. Sighing, he tapped it twice. “Hey.”  
  
“Ruddiger, finally! We've got a situation.” Varian said with exasperation.  
  
“So do we, The Jester got away. I want you to find all the kids and put them in your manor, the ward on your home will protect them from any evil spirits. We're coming back with the kids we got now. Are you and Clyde safe?”  
  
“Yeah, we're safe. But, Ruddiger? There's a werewolf in Corona.”  
  
Ruddiger stared blankly. “...A what.”  
  
“Oh, this just gets better and better.” Fidella sighed as she checked on the children, who were looking disoriented and trying for their parents.  
  
“We're heading back now.” Ruddiger sighed.  
  
–  
  
“Alright, the manor isn't _nearly_ big enough, so we're going to just have to ward the castle if we're going to protect the children.” Juniper said as they gathered everyone into the throne room.  
  
“Good idea.” Rapunzel nodded, then turned to the crowd of citizens gathered. “Is this everyone? We're not missing anyone?”  
  
Varian looked around. “As far as I can tell, no, but...there's a _lot_ of people here.” He admitted.  
  
Rapunzel sighed. “Let's just...hope this is everyone.” She cleared her throat. “Everyone, please listen! There is a new development, a new danger, and we are going to need all of your cooperation to help us solve this problem. It has come to our attention that there is a new entity in Corona, a curse that turns a human into a werewolf.”  
  
The crowd gasped and Varian stepped forward. “Do _not_ panic. I do not say this lightly. We need you all to stay calm and cooperate the best you can. We are going to be having everyone drink truth serum and allow themselves to be searched. The werewolf can be identified by a blue paw-print on their hands, their face, or their arms. Whether you are the werewolf, or whether you are _hiding_ the werewolf, we _need_ to know. The Disciples have people among them that can control animals, and when the werewolf shifts, it will be able to be controlled. Even if it is friendly normally, we cannot allow the werewolf to fall into the hands of the enemy. So, if you are the werewolf, or someone you know is, we will find out today.” He nodded to the maids, who walked over and handed everyone drinks. “The truth serum will wear off after an hour. Please do not resist it, it _will_ hurt.”  
  
Everyone complied, though they all looked frightened or angry about it. Varian shot Pete a look and he glared back as he drank the drugged juice.  
  
“In case you're wondering, we also took the truth serum.” Rapunzel assured them. “So, we're all in this with you.”  
  
“We need to know if anyone of you have seen anything strange, talked to anyone suspicious.” Varian went on.  
  
“What if it hasn't taken a host yet?” Someone asked.  
  
“Then we check again tomorrow. This is for the good of Corona.” Rapunzel said gently. “We cannot protect you from being enslaved by the disciple Melina if you do not tell us who you are.”  
  
“Please cooperate with us.” Varian nodded.  
  
Over the next hour, people were questioned and checked but there was no sign of anyone having a werewolf mark. Once it wore off, people were free to go.  
  
“Remember, if you see something, if you encounter the Wolf's Curse, come straight to us! We cannot risk anything happening to you.” Rapunzel said as everyone filed out.  
  
Varian sighed. “...Well, that went well.”  
  
Rapunzel groaned, then gasped. “Oh! We have to keep the children in the castle!”  
  
“We're on it.” Juniper assured her as she headed off with Andrew while Clementine went off with some of the Saporian mages to ward the place.  
  
“Uhm...” Angry walked up to Rapunzel, Red right behind her. “I have a question?”  
  
“Yes?” Rapunzel smiled.  
  
“...What are the 'Disciples'?” Angry asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
“Oh, right, you're new in town.” Varian nodded. “Uhm...Ruddiger, you wanna explain this one?” He looked at him.  
  
Ruddiger sighed heavily. “Okay, then.” He walked over to them. “Have you two heard of the demon Zhan Tiri?”  
  
They both shook their heads and he groaned a bit before shook Varian a look – Varian just shamelessly grinned back at him. “All I do for you...” He muttered, then looked back at the girls. “Long ago, a demon named Zhan Tiri spread chaos throughout the land, until an inventor by the name of Demanitus stopped her. But Zhan Tiri didn't cause all this trouble by herself, she had followers who called themselves her Disciples to help her with spreading chaos.” Ruddiger sighed. “But...we weren't... _all_ bad. Many of us used to be students of Demanitus and turned against him after being manipulated by Zhan Tiri. I used to be one of them, but I'm working to fix my mistakes.”  
  
“Ohhh, okay. So...these guys are, what, wizards or something?” Angry asked.  
  
“Well, wizards and witches, sorceresses and sorcerers, evil spirits, demons, cultists who sold their souls.” Ruddiger shrugged. “Anyways, they're bad news and one of them can control kids and another can control animals so that's why we need to find that werewolf before _they_ do, and why _you kids_ have to stay inside where it's safe. Okay?”  
  
The girls looked at each other and shrugged. “Okay.” They said in unison.  
  
Rapunzel smiled. “Why don't I show you two to a room you can stay in tonight? Sound good?”  
  
“Yeah!” Angry grinned and they walked out of the throne room with her.  
  
“So...the Jester got away?” Varian looked at Ruddiger.  
  
“We'll track him down.” Ruddiger said firmly. “For now, you kids stay inside where you're safe, got it? Where's Clyde?”  
  
“He's in my lab at home, said he wanted to help me figure out the scroll. I'm heading back there now.” Varian turned to go, then gasped as Ruddiger grabbed him around the waist and burst into flame, the two of them reappearing at Varian's home.  
  
“Varian!” Adira ran to him. “Where's--”  
  
“I didn't think to bring Hamuel.” Ruddiger groaned and burst into flame again before coming back with the crow/raven-turned-human, who shot him a dirty look and shifted his cloak like he was ruffling his feathers. “Alright, get him inside and keep him there. The Jester is still around, I'm heading back out with Floyd. Do NOT leave the house."  
  
Adira nodded and ushered Varian in to rejoin the rest of them.  
  
\--  
  
Ruddiger sighed and watched the door close before his eyes flashed green and he burst into flame again, reappearing at Gothel's glade. “I need your help. I can't fight The Jester on my own. I'm not asking you to join us, I just...I need your help with _protecting Varian_.”  
  
He saw her ghostly figure appear before him, sitting among the ruins. “...Very well.” She said venomously, turning into a demonic green and black form. “Let us destroy him together. I've never much cared for him.”  
  
“Yeah, neither have I.” He walked over, reached out and took her hand and then they burst into flame together.  
  
–  
  
“Alright, all tucked in. If you need anything, just come and find me.” Rapunzel smiled. “My room is in the tower in the center of the castle, high above everyone else, and if I'm not there I will probably be in the throne room pacing.”  
  
Angry laughed a bit. “Not sleeping?”  
  
Rapunzel's expression softened. “How can I sleep, knowing there's someone out there that wants to take away all the children of Corona?” She gently untied Angry's ponytail and kissed her forehead. “I'm glad you came back.”  
  
Angry smiled softly, then looked over at her sister. “Red didn't want to, though.”  
  
“Red?” Rapunzel looked at her.  
  
Red sighed. “It's...it's complicated. I like it here, but...I'm just so used to being on the road, you know?”  
  
“And I told you, we're _done_ with that life! We're not thieves anymore, we can actually live good, honest, stable lives and not live on the road or in trees!” Angry rolled over, facing away from her sister. “Why can't you be _happy_ about it?”  
  
Red didn't reply, just pulled her blanket tighter around her, facing away from the other two. Rapunzel sighed and went to Red's bed, kissing her head gently before she headed for the door. “Sleep well, you two.”  
  
She smiled back at them before closing the door and walking down the hall.  
  
“You look tired.” Cassandra walked up to her.  
  
“I am.” Rapunzel nodded. “I don't know how dad did it.”  
  
“With his Queen. And also a lot of underhanded tricks.” Cassandra sighed heavily. “Did you see Ruddiger's list?”  
  
Rapunzel nodded. “There's so many...”  
  
“But, we'll get through this.” Cassandra smiled. “We always do.”  
  
Rapunzel smiled, encouraged. “Can we get something sweet?”  
  
“Of course.” Cassandra chuckled and they walked off together. “Where's Pascal?”  
  
“He already went to bed.” Rapunzel shrugged. “Hey, why is he a teenager, anyway?”  
  
“I have nooooo idea.” Cassandra shrugged. “Owl's younger than I expected him to be, too. And can you _believe_ how _Hamuel_ came out?”  
  
“I know, I was expected him to be, you know, kind of thin, maybe sickly-looking, but he's got...muscles!” Rapunzel said, shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
“Crazy, that.” Cassandra nodded and they walked off to the kitchen together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like the wolf hasn't taken a host yet.
> 
> ((A/N: Okay, so I kind of messed up the game last chapter, I mistook the name of the other song, ("Something Bad" from the wicked Musical) but I_Logophile guessed the Ghostbusters theme so I guess you win the drawing request! Yay!))


	56. Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of choices are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Even with something sweet in her, Rapunzel couldn't relax. Cassandra tried to stay up later with her, but she couldn't stay up too long and ended up falling asleep on Rapunzel's bed while Rapunzel paced the floor of her bedroom.  
  
Being Queen in such troubled times was making her feel uncertain. Her attempt to be Queen for _one day_ had gone _so badly_ and she was pretty sure that if it wasn't for the bigger threat keeping everyone focused, not to mention Varian's impressive way of drawing their attention and Juniper's strong presence, things would be going _just_ as badly. After learning their King was a terrible person, and all the Kings before, how could they trust _her_ to do well? To not hide things? That's why she had been trying to be so upfront, because secrets had caused...caused...  
  
She closed her eyes, then opened them and walked over to sit at her desk.  
  
She needed advice. And...maybe some help from another Queen. She had been trying to avoid it, but if the Disciples had their way then Zhan Tiri would rampage and hurt _everyone_ , not just Corona. And...it wouldn't hurt to have someone to give her advice, too.  
  
Her finger gripped the quill, uncertainty creeping in. What if she was wrong? What if this was a terrible move, a mistake? Calling the Queen of a Kingdom that wasn't part of the Seven Kingdoms for aid, just on the basis that she was _also magical_? What would the Seven Kingdoms say? But, this was no mere mortal threat they were facing. All the weapons at Ingvarr's disposal could not battle a Disciple, all the celestial knowledge of Koto could not tell them what was coming for them. The Saporians had been valuable allies with their magic and knowledge on the Disciples, legends that Corona had forgotten. That most of the world had. Having a True Seer certainly helped, too.  
  
 _They needed more magic._ And so, she dipped her quill in the ink and started to write.  
  
[ ~~ _Els  
Your Maje  
Dear cous_~~] _  
  
None_ of that sounded good. “Ugggghh...” She groaned, holding her head. Why was it _so hard_ to write a letter?! She crumpled it up and tossed it to the side and, sighing heavily, she decided to try a different tactic, someone more...personable.  
  
[ _Dear Anna,  
  
Surprise! It's Rapunzel.   
I know you told me to keep in contact   
after we met at your sister's coronation  
and I am sorry that I've been __so bad_ _at that.  
It's been...a crazy year. Two years.  
I have __so much_ _to tell you,  
but I'd rather do so in-person.  
The reason I am writing is because something  
has come up. Something bad.  
You remember how I told you I was trapped in  
a tower for eighteen years? Turns out, my  
kidnapper was part of this...crazy-dangerous  
group of magic-using evil cultists before   
and, well, something...happened and they've   
been unsealed and are running wild._]  
  
She grabbed another paper and kept writing. _  
  
_[ _My father was very recently revealed to have  
been conspiring with them and he is now  
missing-in-action, and we cannot fight these  
cultists with normal, mortal means.  
Which is what I am contacting you two about.  
I need the help of your sister's magic to fight   
these people.  
By the way, remember when I said I had long,  
magical, healing hair?  
It's back.   
And also there's another person here,   
my Moon counterpart, who is still learning   
to control his magic.  
I hope your sister can help him with that.  
Of course, I don't ask for you to drop everything.   
And, I should warn you, right now we have a firm   
no-animals policy because of one of the cultists   
being able to control animals. I don't think you   
would want sweet Sven to be turned against us so,   
if he comes, he'd have to be human temporarily._]  
  
She grabbed another piece of paper and kept writing, moving the two to the side to dry.  
  
[ _I know this is very sudden, but we're in a state  
of emergency, and we cannot go to the Seven Kingdoms   
about this. It would only put their people in danger by  
sending them to fight a threat they cannot properly face.  
I look forward to hearing from you again soon, and,   
if you agree to come, I hope you like balloon rides!  
It's the fastest (and coolest) way to travel!  
  
With all my affection,  
Rapunzel_]  
  
She signed her name at the bottom and set the last one to the side to dry. In the morning, she would tie them together, roll them up and send her mother back to her homeland of Arendelle to contact the two sisters. _  
  
_She only hoped she was making the right choice.  
  
–  
  
Outside of the Capital, two green flames moved across the sky together, following an aura only they could pick out among all the others around them. They weaved together , moving closer and closer, and finally set down at Janis Point.  
  
“Doesn't this place bring back memories?”  
  
Ruddiger tensed and turned to see Lucas and The Jester. He glanced around, sensing more of them around. “We used to meet here just like this.” Lucas went on, running his hand along a damaged stone wall. “It's been far too long. I take it you've made your choice then, Lady Gothel?”  
  
“The only 'choice' I have made is to keep _you_ away from Varian.” She said calmly. “Not that I much care for _any_ of you. Things were better when you were all sealed away, quieter. Now you are all running rampant, making noise, disturbing my eternal rest. _Of course_ , I'm assisting Regulus.”  
  
“So now you have a choice.” Ruddiger said as green fire formed around his gloved hands. “You can leave the children of Corona alone, or we'll fight you tonight and, maybe, Gothel won't be the only ghost after this.”  
  
“Oh-ho-hooooo, fighting words from a _brat_.” The Jester hissed, cracking his knuckles as he stepped forward. “But can you really beat us without your Saporian backup? Tell me, do they know what you _did_?”  
  
“They do. I told them, I apologized, I offered myself for punishment and they forgave me. I was manipulated, twisted, turned wrong, and now I'm righting _everything_ wrong I did – which is why I'm going to fight you all until you or I are gone forever!” Ruddiger said, his lips curling back in a feral snarl.  
  
“Then let us dance, little Reggie.” The Jester stretched out a hand with a wide, sharp-toothed grin. “We shall dance under the moonlight until the sun rises. When dawn comes, who will be the victor?”  
  
“Let's find out.” Gothel said, forming green fire around her hands.  
  
Lucas stepped forward and Jester held out a hand. “No.” He hissed. “Let me do this alone. The rest of you will be witness to the final result.” He shifted into an aggressive stance and gestured to them tauntingly.  
  
“Don't let him goad you.” Gothel told Ruddiger quietly. “Making the first move here is a mistake.”  
  
“I know.” He said, shifting his foot in the dirt.  
  
“Come on, then! Put your actions behind your words, lest I take the boy and control him right into Lucas' bed!” Jester cackled.  
  
“Don't be goaded!” Gothel told him, but Ruddiger was already charging forward with a roar. She sighed heavily and powered up a spell, waiting for Ruddiger to move out of the way. When he finally did, she fired off a powerful blast at the Jester and he fell back with a hiss and then flipped back up.  
  
“Sorry, I let him get to me.” Ruddiger said grimly.  
  
“You did, but let's worry about apologies later. He's still up.” She powered up another blast and he started throwing green fire at The Jester, which he avoided with hoots, howls, flips and cartwheels.  
  
“Come on, Reggie! Are you afraid to use your full power? Or, could it be, are you _still cursed_?” He cackled and Ruddiger flinched. “You took on a human form again, but you can't access all your powers, _can_ you!?”  
  
“I can access enough to fight _you_!” Ruddiger snapped.  
  
“Poor little traitor.” The Jester cooed. “Weak, with only a dead has-been to help him!”  
  
“I'll show _you_ who's a 'has-been'.” Gothel fired another shot and he cried out as it hit him head-on, sending him flying.  
  
“Aw, did I touch a nerve?” The Jester jeered as everyone cackled around him. “The beauty queen who thinks she's still young is _offended_! I'm afraid you were way, way, _way_ past your prime when you were still with us, _Miss Gothel_. By the way, how's your daughter? I heard you banged a Brotherhood.” He cackled. “Did she get _your_ looks or _his_?”  
  
“Leave Cassandra out of this.” She said darkly.  
  
“He's trying to goad you.” Ruddiger told her. “Just like he did to me. We can't let him get to us!”  
  
She took a deep breath, not that she needed to breathe anymore, and then released it. “You're right. Let's take him down, and then _neither_ of us will have to worry.”  
  
“Right!” Ruddiger nodded firmly as they both powered up attacks.  
  
–  
  
“There's a massive amount of Disciple energy over this way.” Floyd said as he led the Saporian fighters and some of the Royal Guard. “It looks like we're heading for Janis Point.”  
  
“What's Janis Point?” Andrew asked.  
  
“Some kind of magical ruin.” Maximus explained. “Sugracha the Eternal used it to try to force Rapunzel, Lance, and a few others to cast a spell that would release Zhan Tiri into our world. Sugracha ended up being thrown into the portal she was trying to open.”  
  
“So, what are they doing here now?” Floyd asked, his brow furrowed as they saw a large gathering. He held out a hand and they stopped before creeping closer to see what was going on.  
  
The gathering of people were Disciples watching three other Disciples go at it. They recognized The Jester, Ruddiger and--  
  
“Is that _Gothel_?” Maximus breathed.  
  
“If _you_ say it is, then it must be. The rest of us have never seen the woman.” Fidella said with a frown. “What is she...is she helping Ruddiger?”  
  
“I don't understand. How is she here and, furthermore, why is she on _our_ side?” Maximus shook his head in disbelief.  
  
Floyd looked around at the sheer number of Disciples here. “...I'm going to need to call for backup.” He breathed.  
  
“So, are we fighting?” One of the Saporians asked.  
  
“I think...we'd make them lose by default if we interfered. Look, everyone else is just watching.” Floyd shook his head.  
  
–  
  
“Focus on your claws, Regulus!” Gothel told him. “I know it's hard now, but you _can_ still use it! Use your claws!”  
  
He pursed his lips and pulled off his gloves, tossing them to the side before focusing, his nails growing into long, sharp, poison-tripped claws. Then he lunged at The Jester, his hands on fire and his claws tipped with a paralyzing poison.  
  
“You can't possibly beat _my_ speed!” The Jester taunted he dodged him easily.  
  
“No...not normally...” Ruddiger moved back, hen reached into his pocket and pulled out purple berries. “But with this? I can.”  
  
“Wait, is that--” Gothel started, but Ruddiger had already downed them both. “Regulus! You don't know what that will _do_ to you!”  
  
“Nnghh.....ghhhh!” Ruddiger stepped back a few feet, holding his head.  
  
“Careful, don't die on us now.” Lucas taunted him.  
  
Ruddiger glared at him with a snarl, his eyes glowing white as his body grew, his clothes tearing as he did so, until he towered over The Jester.  
  
“...Oh my.” Jester said, stepping back a bit. “Well, uh...you've certainly gotten a new trick!”  
  
“It's Varian's. He used those on him when he used Regulus' raccoon form as a distraction so he could kidnap Queen Arianna, before he knew who Regulus really was.” Lucas explained as Ruddiger lunged at The Jester, forcing him to quickly dodge and yelping in pain when he failed to. “As a raccoon, he turns into a giant beast. I didn't think it would _work_ on humans, since the key component is a dimberry and dimberries have no effect on humans, but _this_ is _fascinating_ , that boy is _impressive_!”  
  
“Less admiring, more helping!” The Jester yelped as Ruddiger's claws slashed at his chest. “Gah!”  
  
“Oh, no. I don't think we will.” Lucas chuckled. “See, we were _going_ to, but _someone_ said 'let me do this alone. The rest of you will be witness to the final result.' And so, we will be witness to it. Good luck.”  
  
“Gh!” The Jester flinched in pain and stumbled back. “Me and my hubris...”  
  
“'Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall'. So says the 'good book' that the Christians read, at least.” Lucas chuckled as he watched Ruddiger let out a feral roar and lunge at the wounded Jester, completely unfazed by his screaming in fear.  
  
“Have you been reading new books, Lucas?” Mother Feather asked with a giggle.  
  
“You know me, always curious.” Lucas smiled at her.  
  
Gothel stood back and watched silently, as did everyone else, as Ruddiger tore into The Jester with his poison claws and vicious fangs.   
  
“MOVE!”  
  
They all looked up and then Lucas and the rest vanished in a burst of green flame before Maximus ran in, knocking Ruddiger off the writhing man, and then Floyd took his place, plunging a crystal stake into his heart. The Jester screeched and writhed helplessly, calling for help that wouldn't come, until he turned into an orb of light that entered the crystal stake.   
  
Then it was silent, aside from Ruddiger's heavy breathing, and then he changed back to normal with a flash of light, his torn clothes barely covering him. Floyd walked over and removed his cloak and passed it to Maximus, who silently wrapped him up and held him close to him.  
  
“Miss Got--” Floyd turned to Gothel, but she was gone when he turned. “...Well, I suppose I don't blame her for running.” He sighed. “Let's...go report the good news. The children can rest easy again, The Jester is defeated.”  
  
“Should we mention...?” Maximus nodded to where she was.  
  
“...Not yet. Not until we know, for sure, if she's on our side or not.” Floyd sighed and looked at the blood on the ground, muttered a spell to clean it up, and then motioned for everyone to leave. “Come along, then!”  
  
–  
  
Gothel looked out from behind the ruins in her blue ghost form, her lips pursed. “What have I done?” She murmured. “How can I still claim to be neutral after tonight?” She looked towards her home. “...They'll surely come for me.” She flew off back towards her old home, feeling its tug. “I must remain hidden...until a friendly face appears again.”  
  
–  
  
Red walked through the woods silently, her bare feet in the grass as she looked up at the moon high above. She stopped and saw a wispy wolf-like creature before her. “...Are you the one that's been calling me?” She asked, walking closer to it.  
  
 _ **Poor child, so overlooked, so ignored, so...full of rage. I can help you be heard.**_ The wispy wolf moved closer to her. _**I can give you the power to never be ignored again. No one will ever tell you what to do. Just take me inside...forever...and I will give you strength beyond your imaginings.**_  
  
“No one will tell me what do anymore?” She asked softly, moving closer to the wolf. She reached out a hand and it touched its nose to her hand before suddenly diving into her chest. She let out a sharp gasp and threw her head back as her body lifted into the air, the power coursing through her body. Then she landed on her feet, dropped to her hands and knees, and _ran_ like a wolf, ran until she found a hill and then she _howled_ like it was the most natural thing in the world.  
  
And It felt _amazing_.  
  
–  
  
“...Jester iz gone, then?” Tromus asked.  
  
“Yeah. His pride got the better of him, idiot.” Lucas sighed heavily. “Then again, he was doing pretty good up until Regulus took that serum.”  
  
“And Gothel iz on zheir side?” Tromus glanced up from his work with Frederic.  
  
“Seems so. She's always been soft.” Lucas clicked his tongue. “And how is our new Brother coming along?”  
  
“I would say another week should do it.” Tromus assured him.  
  
“Perfect.” Lucas grinned. “I can't wait to see what he'll bring to the playing field.” He moved over to shift the vines slowly so he could see the face of the former King of Corona. “Oh, Frederic, if you only knew all your daughter is doing. Generations of traditions and secrets, thrown aside...all for a criminal.” He smirked as the man scowled in his sleep and then covered him up with vines fully again. “Keep up the good work.”  
  
Tromus nodded and focused on his work again. Lucas smiled and walked out of the room, closing it behind him.  
  
“Well, now,” he purred, “let's see how quickly they drop their guard now that The Jester is gone. The tea should be shipping out by now, I _do_ hope they catch it in time.” He chuckled and walked down the hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goodbye, Jester~! We won't miss you.


	57. Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The werewolf strikes!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Red was missing.  
  
Angry had come up to Rapunzel's room crying in worry because she'd woken up to use the chamberpot and found her sister gone from the room, with her boots and hair-ties left behind. Rapunzel, of course, had rallied the Royal Guard – that were still in the Capital and hadn't already gone after The Jester – to look for her.  
  
“Red! Little red-haired girl!” Stan called, holding up a lantern as they walked through the woods.  
  
“Why can't kids just follow simple orders? They always cause trouble when they don't.” Pete grumbled.  
  
“Because they're _kids_ , Pete. I don't know about you, but _I_ was a pretty free-spirited child myself.” Stan chuckled as he thought of his childhood.  
  
“Yeah, and we see what kind of _adult_ that made you.” Pete huffed.  
  
Stan sighed. “Pete...” He shook his head. No, he wasn't going to indulge Pete's bad mood by arguing with him again. “Never mind.”  
  
“No, go on, Stan.” Pete turned to him. “Why don't you tell me what's on your mind? We're going to have to do it in the morning when they check us all for werewolf marks, anyway!”  
  
“Pete, I _know_ you're mad about the truth serum—”  
  
“Furious.” Pete confirmed.  
  
“—but that's no reason for you to take it out on me! No, you know what? I'm tired of this.” He clenched his fist on the lantern. “There's only so much ridicule and abuse a guy can _take_! You've _never_ really respected my opinions when it comes to adding things to my uniform—”  
  
“Because it's not protocol! And a cravat looked _terrible_ on you! Even Maximus agreed!”  
  
“—and you've _always_ told me off for bringing lunch from home for myself instead of sharing it with everyone, when you don't share with everyone yourself—”  
  
“Wha—because you always bring such delicious food!”  
  
“—and I'm _always_ having to clean up after your mess when your loose lips cause trouble!” Stan finished firmly. “And I have been standing by you, _defending_ you when everyone spoke against you, _complimenting_ you even when you make mistakes, but _this_ is going too far! I don't _care_ if you're upset about having to take truth serum – we ALL have to take truth serum! We have shapeshifting MONSTERS out there and we can't take any chances! But you're so fixated on your grudge against a teenager that we – yes, _we_ – hurt by throwing out into a blizzard and then _you_ decided to tell him he was _worthless_ as you slammed the door in his face getting back at you by making you Patient Zero for his truth serum cookies – WHICH WERE MOSTLY HARMLESS – that you're snapping at everyone even when you're no longer on it!”  
  
“What's the point of pretending to be _nice_?! Everyone's seen my true nature, everyone _knows_ who I really am!” Pete threw his hands up. “If I'm such a burden to you, then fine! Why do you stick around?!”  
  
“Because that's what friends do!” Stan insisted.  
  
“Then, maybe you need a better friend.” Pete said coldly, before he turned on his heel and stormed off into the darkness.  
  
“Pete? Pete! They said not to be alone!” He followed him into the darkness, his lantern lighting the wall. “Pete!”  
  
“AHHHHHHH!” Stan felt his heart stop briefly as he heard a scream of agonizing pain.  
  
“PETER!” He ran towards the sound and found a large figure stepping back before it dashed back into the shadows. Lying on the ground, Pete was clutching at his arm and whimpering in pain, blood slipping from under his hand.  
  
“Pete!” He ran over and knelt down next to him. “Oh, geez, hold on!” He took off his bag and pulling out bandages to wrap it up. “Pete, I need you to move your ha—”  
  
“What happened?!”  
  
He looked up to see Princess Juniper and Prince Andrew joining them, along with some others.  
  
“Pete got attacked—”  
  
“FUCKING WEREWOLF BIT ME!” Pete yelled.  
  
Andrew and Juniper exchanged concerned looks and then Juniper ran over to lift Pete into her arms. “I'll get him back to the Capital and get this tended. Hopefully the Sundrop's magic can undo any adverse effects.”  
  
“'Adverse effects'?!” Pete cried, holding his arm.  
  
“I'm going to contact Varian, tell him we need his help. If the werewolf has chosen a host then, in this form, it'll be drawn to him once he leaves the wards. Hopefully he can calm whoever it is down.” Andrew nodded.  
  
“I'll go with her.” Stan said as he picked up his bag, and Andrew nodded and pulled out his Communication Mirror as he knelt to check for tracks in the moonlight.  
  
Juniper took off running and Stan followed her, holding up his lantern to light their way. He cast a glance at his longtime friend's pale, sweaty face and felt guilty for _ever_ leaving him alone.  
  
–  
  
“'Bend it to my will...consume the sunlight's....gleam'?” Clyde squinted at the notes. “No, 'Glow'.”  
  
Varian chuckled. “We're getting real close to the end. Sure you don't want me to finish by myself, let you get some sleep?”  
  
“You need to sleep, too. I don't _care_ if you're some Moon God or whatever now.” Clyde nudged him.  
  
“You _should_ care.” Varian smirked. “I've got powers now.”  
  
“Having powers doesn't change the fact that you have basic needs.” Clyde raised an eyebrow.  
  
“I mean, it might. I haven't been needing to use the chamberpot at all.” Varian shrugged.  
  
“Wanna bet, as soon as you can control the rocks, you will?” Clyde grinned.  
  
“...Sure, I'll take that bet. What's the wager?” Varian smirked up at him.  
  
“Ohhh, now that's a tricky question.” He grinned. “I got it. If I'm right, you and I are going to spend an entire day at Gothel's cottage, alone.”  
  
“Excuse me?” Hamuel said from where he was watching silently.  
  
“I'll be with a demon hunter, Hamuel. I'll be fine.” Varian assured him.  
  
“Hmph. We'll see what _the Brotherhood_ feel about that.” Hamuel crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
Varian chuckled and looked up at Clyde. “And if _I_ win, you gotta take truth serum for a _whole day_ , and be with me the _entire time_.”  
  
“Ohhh, risky.” Clyde grinned. “There may be truths in this here head you aren't ready for, pipsqueak.”  
  
Varian chuckled. “I dunno about that, can't be much worse than—”  
  
He was interrupted by his Communication Mirror starting to glow and he tapped it twice. “Yeah?”  
  
“Varian, we need you to step outside.” Andrew told him. “The werewolf has chosen a host, and I have a theory that, once you leave the protective wards, it'll go right for you. And you _should_ be able to calm it.”  
  
Varian frowned. “Hold on.” He closed his eyes. 'Moon, can you confirm if that plan will work?'  
  
 _ **It is as the Saporian says. Do take care, though, dear one.**_  
  
He nodded. “Alright.” He stood up. “The Moon agrees with you. I'll go outside and wait for the werewolf to come to me.”  
  
“Keep your guards close. I'm on my way with the Royal Guard.” Andrew assured him.  
  
Varian got up and sighed, heading outside with Clyde and Hamuel following him. Adira and Hector were already outside, of course, and they quickly moved towards him as he stepped out.  
  
“Varian, what are you doing?” Hector hissed.  
  
“The werewolf is coming. I need to calm it down.” Varian said, nodding firmly. “It's my duty as the Moon.”  
  
Hector hesitated, looked at his sister, then nodded and stepped back to allow him to walk outside.  
  
  
Varian sighed and then reached out a hand, closing his eyes. ' _Come to me._ ' He thought. ' _Come to me. Come to me from the woods, to where the moonlight shines unobstructed. Come to me where the moon's power lies.'_  
  
He felt it before he saw it. The large figure dashed from the woods towards him and he walked out further towards I before they met in the damaged town square. The werewolf stared down at him before it slowly lowered itself into a bow. He smiled and gently placed his hands on their head, focusing. “It's alright...” he whispered, “it's alright. Show me who you are. Shift back. Don't be scared.”  
  
The werewolf's red eyes widened and then it drew away a bit before moving forward and nuzzling him affectionately. He stroked their fur gently, humming softly as the werewolf started to shrink smaller and smaller and smaller, the gray fur turning red under his touch as he continued to stroke their—no, her—hair.  
  
“...Red?” He whispered, and she slowly raised her head, her green eyes shaking. He smiled and gently stroked the blue mark on her cheek. “It's okay.” He held her closer. “You're okay. Let's get you inside the wards.”  
  
He lifted her up and carried her back inside, then tapped the mirror twice after handing her off to Clyde to put to bed. “The werewolf is calm and shifted back. It's Red.” Varian told Andrew.  
  
“Good work. We'll head back, then, check on Pete.”  
  
“Pete?” Varian frowned.  
  
“Red bit him in her crazed state, he's bleeding pretty badly. Juniper took him back to be healed.” Andrew explained.  
  
'Serves him right.' Varian thought. “What about his partner?”  
  
“They were separated briefly, we haven't gotten his story yet. Keep her safe, keep yourself safe, we'll see you in the morning.” Andrew smiled.  
  
Varian nodded. “I'm almost done translating the incantation, by the way.”  
  
“Good to hear, but don't push yourself. Get some sleep.” Andrew reminded him.  
  
Varian sighed heavily. “Yes, yes, I know.”  
  
Andrew chuckled. “See you tomorrow.”  
  
The mirror went dark and Varian sighed and left his lab.  
  
–  
  
“W _hat once was mine._ ” Rapunzel sang as her hair finished healing Pete's wound. “There. How do you feel?”  
  
“Like I'm going to be sick, but the pain is gone. I think I'm allergic to wolves.” Pete made a face.  
  
“You're fine.” Juniper smirked, then looked at Stan. “You okay?”  
  
“I-I'm fine.” Stan nodded.  
  
Rapunzel nodded. “Good.”  
  
“Stan, what happened?” Captain Solomon asked with a frown.  
  
Stan glanced away. “We...we had a bit of an argument. He was...mad about little Red running off, and ranting about kids not following orders and I said that I used to be a free-spirited child and...well, it kind of evolved from there.”  
  
“We fought, I took off, I got hurt, end of story. You don't need to know any details. Can I go now?” Pete snapped, getting up off the bed.  
  
“Pete—“ Rapunzel got up.  
  
“I need to lie down, Pri—Your Majesty.” Pete said as he left the medical room.  
  
Rapunzel sighed heavily. “Well...did you find Red?”  
  
Juniper pulled out her glowing Communication Mirror and tapped it. “Drew, did you find the werewolf?”  
  
“Yeah, she's with Varian. It's Red.” Andrew replied. “We're coming back to the Capital now.”  
  
“Oh, good.” Rapunzel sighed. “...Why would _Red_ be the werewolf?” She frowned.  
  
“We'll ask her in the morning. For now, she's safe, she's asleep, and we're all tired. How's Pete?” Andrew asked.  
  
“All healed up, no adverse effects.” Juniper assured him.  
  
“Aside from being allergic.” Stan added.  
  
“Well, keep an eye on him anyway. We'll be back in the Capital soon.” Andrew assured her. “Go let Angry know her sister's safe.”  
  
“I will.” Rapunzel nodded and headed out of the room.  
  
Angry was sitting up in bed when Rapunzel came to find her. “Hey.” She smiled.  
  
“Did you find her?” Angry asked anxiously.  
  
Rapunzel nodded. “Angry...she's the werewolf. She's with Varian right now, but we need to know if there's anything she might've told you for her to have become the host of the Wolf's Curse?”  
  
Angry frowned. “I...I don't know. She wasn't earlier...”  
  
“I know, so it must've happened tonight.” Rapunzel sighed. “...you know what, we'll talk to her tomorrow. For now, she's safe, and we all need sleep.”  
  
Angry nodded. “...Can I sleep with you, Rapunzel?”  
  
Rapunzel gasped and then nodded. “Alright.” She opened her arms and Angry climbed into them so she could carry her up to bed. Once in her room, she gently nudged Pascal to the side and put Angry between them before settling down next to them.  
  
“Rapunzel...thank you.” Angry said softly. “You've always been so good to us, both of us.”  
  
Rapunzel smiled and hugged her. “Of course, I care about you both so much.”  
  
“Even though we keep causing you trouble?” Angry asked, looking up at her.  
  
“Oh, Angry...” Rapunzel sighed, “you don't cause us trouble. Don't even think that.”  
  
“...Kiera.”  
  
“Hm?” Rapunzel blinked.  
  
“My name is Kiera.” She smiled shyly up at her.  
  
“Okay...Kiera.” Rapunzel giggled. “It's nice to finally meet you properly.”  
  
“Mm.” She nodded. “Red can tell you her name when she's ready.”  
  
“Okay.” Rapunzel smiled and held her closer, then looked up at Pascal, who was smiling sleepily. “Hear that? Her name's Kiera.”  
  
“Cool.” Pascal gave a sleepy thumbs-up before curling up again. Both girls giggled in response.  
  
–  
  
“Alright, we're home.” Maximus sighed as he walked up to the manor and knocked on the door. The door opened and Adira looked out and then gasped with concern as she saw Ruddiger in his arms.   
  
“What happened?” She asked as they stepped inside.  
  
“He took that mutating serum while in human form, almost _killed_ The Jester.” Floyd explained. “He's sealed away, by the way.”  
  
“That's some good news.” Adira nodded. “We found the werewolf's host, she's sleeping now.”  
  
“Good, two less things to worry about.” Maximus said as he carried Ruddiger to his bedroom. “He's gonna need new clothes.”  
  
“I'm sure Maisie will handle that.” Fidella said as she looked around the manor.  
  
“Anything of note?” Floyd asked.  
  
“Well, Red bit one of the Royal Guard before reverting back, so that was...unpleasant.” Adira nodded. “Your son and Varian are both asleep, and the scroll is almost completely translated.”  
  
“Good news.” Floyd nodded. “Well, not about the guard. Is he alright?”  
  
“Last we heard, he was being treated.” She shrugged. “We'll find out tomorrow.”  
  
Floyd nodded. “Well, then, I'll be heading home. Clyde can keep sleeping, just tell him where I am tomorrow.”  
  
She nodded. “Will do.” She turned to Maximus, who had rejoined them. “Heading back to Capital?”  
  
“Yes.” Maximus nodded. “Good night, Adira.”  
  
“Same to you. Have a safe trip back.“ She nodded, then saw them all out and watched them leave Old Corona.  
  
–  
  
“Hhh....hhh...nngh...” Pete gasped and groaned as he curled up in the darkness, his body shaking and his breathing heavy. “Nngh....hnngh...” He clutched at the bite wound, which had reappeared but was no longer bleeding. “Nnnghhhh!” He clutched at the sheets, tearing them a bit. “It hurts! It hurts! Feels like I'm burning up!”  
  
Pete lived alone, had for most of his life. He had no wife, no children, no siblings to check in on him. Only a concerned cat that trembled and hid under the couch as he continued to scream in the night.   
  
In a few hours, the screaming subsided as Peter Harrison the Royal Guard finally passed out from exhaustion.  
  
A figure with glowing, green eyes grinned in the corner before vanishing in a burst of green fire, with no sign left behind that they were ever there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Red is the werewolf!  
> What's going on with Pete, though?


	58. Talk It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian takes Red back to the Capital to talk with her sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

When Red woke up the next morning, she couldn't remember why she wasn't in the castle. She slowly pushed the blanket to the side and stepped out of bed, noting that she wasn't wearing her boots and her hair was down. She sighed and walked to the door, opening it and gasping softly as she caught the scent of something delicious. Was that...blueberry?  
  
She walked down the hall and looked around the corner into the kitchen, where Varian was humming as he cooked, dressed in a different outfit. She blinked, confused, having heard that he _couldn't_ change clothes, and stepped out into the kitchen. “Uhm...Varian?”  
  
“Yeah?” He asked, flipping a pancake.  
  
“Uhm...what happened to your cape?” She asked.  
  
“Well, I took off my armor.” He grinned. “I finished translating the incantation this morning.”  
  
“And, tonight, we are going to Gothel's old cottage – alone.” Clyde chimed in with a grin.  
  
“Oh...shut up.” Varian blushed.  
  
“I won the wager~!” Clyde said in a sing-song tone.  
  
“Yeah, yeah.” Varian sighed. “Anyways, I have full control of the rocks now, so I got rid of the ones out in the town that were getting in the way of reconstruction. I'm going to go out and take down all the other black rocks after breakfast.” He plated the pancakes. “So, Red, how are you feeling? Calmer?”  
  
“H-Huh? Uhm, I'm feeling...fine.” She glanced away.  
  
“Red, I have truth serum and I will put it in your juice if you don't be honest with me.” Varian said as he set the pancakes in front of an empty chair and nodded to it. “Eat up, we'll talk after.”  
  
“There's...nothing to talk about.” She said, walking over and climbing into the chair.  
  
Varian sighed. “Red, you were a giant wolf-girl last night. You have the mark on your cheek. What I didn't tell people was that the Wolf's Curse seeks out someone with a hidden, suppressed rage and take them as its host. Sooooo...” he poured juice for her where she could see it so she'd know he didn't drug it, “what's bugging you?” He set it down and then went to make his own food.  
  
She looked at the pancakes and poked at them a bit. “Well...” She sighed. “It doesn't matter. No one hears me.”  
  
“Kid, when _I_ felt that I wasn't being heard, I made truth serum, stole a flower, built automatons and kidnapped a queen. So far, all _you've_ done is turn into a werewolf and bite Pete the Guard.” Varian poured batter into the pan. “Best tell us what's bugging you before you do something worse, hm?”  
  
“I _bit_ someone?!” She cried in alarm.  
  
“He's fine.” Clyde assured her.  
  
“Look, whatever is bugging you, we're here to hear you out.” Varian assured her. “So...come on.” He smiled encouragingly.  
  
Red sighed and brushed her hair back. Varian walked over and grabbed a hairband from his pocket, gently braiding her hair back. “It's...it's complicated. It's my sister.”  
  
“Angry?” Varian asked.  
  
She nodded. “She thinks that she knows what's best for me, so she's always talking over me and deciding things for me, just because I'm quiet.” She fidgeted with her necklace. “But...I have my own opinions. My own ideas. And I guess I got...tired of being talked over.” She looked up at him. “My name isn't even _Red_ , I just...let everyone call me that because everyone all just agreed that's what I would be called.”  
  
“What's your name, then?” He smiled and stepped back, nodding with satisfaction.  
  
“Catalina.” She smiled a bit. “My name is Catalina.”  
  
“Nice to meet you, Catalina. I'm Varian.” He grinned and then walked over to check on the pancakes. “It sounds to me like you need to talk to your sister with a mediator between you two.”  
  
“A meter-rator?” She tilted her head to the side a bit.  
  
“No, no. Me-di-a-tor. Someone to make sure that things go peacefully, that everyone gets to be heard.” Varian explained. “If your problem is that your sister is always talking over you and not listening to you, then you should get one. Maybe Rapunzel will volunteer.”  
  
“What about you?” She asked.  
  
“I have things to do today – and tonight.” Varian smiled at her. “I'll take you back to the castle while I'm out lowering the black rocks.”  
  
Catalina nodded. “Uhm...I heard you had...scars.” She said quietly.  
  
Varian tensed. “...Trust me, you don't want to see them.” He said grimly. ”You're too young to see that stuff. _I'm_ supposed to be too young to _get_ them.” He looked to the side, then back at his pancakes. “But...yes, I still have them. I checked.” He moved a hand to his shoulder.  
  
Clyde gripped the fork tightly and Catalina noticed the others in the kitchen were looking furious as well. She shrank in her chair a bit, then gasped when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.  
  
“Don't feel guilty.” Varian said gently. “It wasn't bad of you to ask. I suspect you won't be the only one to.”  
  
She looked up at him. “Is it...bad?”  
  
“Pretty bad, yeah.” He sighed. “But, uhm...let's not worry about it.” He walked back to the stove. “So, are you feeling better now?”  
  
“Uhm...mmhm.” She nodded.  
  
“Good. Eat your breakfast.” He nodded to her plate.  
  
She nodded and dug in eagerly. Varian came over and took a seat next to her with his own food after a bit and they ate in relative silence before the meal was finished and they were cleaning up.  
  
“Since you forgot your boots, I'll make you some out of black rocks for the trip to the Capital.” Varian said with a smile. “Trust me, they can be surprisingly comfortable.”  
  
She giggled a bit. “So, uhm...you don't...think it's bad of me to take in the Wolf's Curse?”  
  
“Magic, like any weapon, is not good or bad. The _user_ is what matters, and you're not a bad kid, Cat.” Varian assured her. “I think everyone will be relieved to know that the wolf is as gentle as girl as you. And if you feel you can't control it, well, I helped you before.” He grinned.  
  
She smiled shyly. “Thanks, Var.”  
  
“No prob.” He nodded and then walked over to place his hands on her ankles, focusing and creating comfortable black boots with blue trimming before he stood up. “Hope you don't mind the color, my rocks come in black, blue or white.”  
  
She smiled and stomped her feet a couple times. “It feels great!”  
  
He nodded, then focused and created a black rock replica of his normal outfit. “There. Now I have my armor on and there's no reason for anyone to fuss. But the cape is gone.”  
  
“Aww, too bad.” Clyde grinned. “I enjoyed lifting it like a bridal train.”  
  
Varian rolled his eyes and turned to his bodyguards. “Well, let's get back to the Capital.” He looked around, then frowned. “Where's Ruddiger? Did he come back yet?”  
  
“He's resting, he was in a bit of a rough shape.” Adira said, turning to show him the way.  
  
Catalina followed and saw Varian leaning over the man's bed. He was mostly covered by a blanket, but what was visible was torn clothes, wounds on his face and arms and blood in his hair. Varian's brow furrowed and he adjusted the blanket bfore hugging him and walking over to Hamuel. “Can you watch him for me?”  
  
Hamuel nodded and walked into the room to sit on a chair. “I will inform him of where you went when he awakens.” He assured him.  
  
“Thanks.” Varian smiled. “He looks like he had a hard fight, I look forward to hearing about it.”  
  
“Let's head out.” Clyde smiled and clapped his hand on Varian's shoulder. “Lots of rocks to get rid of.”  
  
“Yeah.” Varian nodded. “And a sister to get back to.” He looked at Catalina with a smile.  
  
She nodded, but looked a bit nervous.  
  
–  
  
Varian took his time going back to the Capital, giving Catalina plenty of time to think about what she wanted to say to her sister. She sighed as she watched him lower the black rocks into the ground at some ruins. “What _was_ this place?” She asked.  
  
“This is where Got...” He sighed. “Where Rapunzel was kidnapped to.” He looked around and cleared his throat. “Looks like that's all of them. Let's move on.” He turned to go and stopped when he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. When he looked over his shoulder, though, there was nothing there. Frowning, he headed for the tunnel out. “Come on, still got more to lower.”  
  
“You okay?” Hector asked.  
  
“I...I'm fine.” He moved his hand to his shoulder. “Just...thought I felt something. It was my imagination, though.”  
  
“Or a _ghost_.” Adira said in a spooky way.  
  
“Don't say that. Ghosts aren't real.” Hector said nervously.  
  
“Yeah, I'd like to hear you say that to your ancestors.” She smirked at him.  
  
“There's no _actual_ proof that their ghosts remain.” Quirin said, smiling a bit.  
  
“Ghosts exist.” Floyd assured him. “We're fighting evil spirits, and you think that ghosts don't exist?”  
  
“Not to mention that this _is_ the spot where a Disciple died and Regulus didn't seem so sure she was gone.” Clyde said thoughtfully. “And didn't you _know_ her?”  
  
Varian frowned thoughtfully, then walked over and placed his hand against the ruins. “...Miss Gothel?” He asked softly.  
  
At first, nothing happened. There was only silence. Then a wind swept through all of them and the Brotherhood started to take offensive statures. “No, wait.” Varian held out a hand, turning to them. “It's not green fire. I don't think it's dangerous.” He lowered his hand. “I don't think... _she_ is dangerous.”  
  
Floyd smiled. “What I haven't mentioned,” he said as a ghostly figure started to take form next to Varian, “is that we witnessed her helping Regulus fight the other Disciples last night.”  
  
“You what?” Varian asked, then looked up at the woman now beside him. He stepped back a bit, looking at her better. “...Miss Gothel?”  
  
“Hello, Varian.” She said with a gentle smile. “It has been quite some time.”  
  
Catalina stepped forward. “...Are you...friendly?”  
  
“Hm, depends on who you ask.” The woman chuckled. “I don't think Lucas would call me very friendly anymore. And, Varian, honestly? I'm dead for six months and you get yourself into trouble!”  
  
He giggled a bit as she reached up to rub his head. “What _ever_ will I do with you?”  
  
“I dunno.” He shrugged. “Uhm...so....I have powers.”  
  
“I know.” She said calmly. “I've _known_ since you were ten years old. You would have found out then, but I made a Deal with Quirin to erase yours and Rapunzel's memories of the event in exchange for him not telling anyone about this place.”  
  
“Yeah, we're going to _not_ tell Rapunzel about the fact that my dad apparently knew where she was for years and never rescued her.” Varian said awkwardly.  
  
“A Deal is a Deal.” Quirin said calmly.  
  
“Disastrous results for anyone who breaks one.” Gothel nodded. “But...” She sighed. “To answer your question, I am not _officially_ on your side. I am just not also on Lucas' side. I will not presume to be your ally until Rapunzel feels comfortable with the idea. If you need advice, I will be here.”  
  
“Well, we should probably be going.” Varian said, looking at the tunnel. “I have to get Catalina back to her sister, and there's more black rocks to lower.”  
  
“Very well, take care of yourself.” She nodded.  
  
“See you.” Varian smiled and he walked over to tunnel. “See, Uncle Hector? Ghosts are real.”  
  
He cleared his throat and walked out, the others following.  
  
\--  
  
Clyde hung back and walked over to Gothel. “Hey, uh...can I...ask you something?” He asked quietly. “Can I...” He glanced at the tunnel. “I want to have a...private rendezvous with Varian, and I thought your old cottage would be...you know, private. Remote. Quiet. Do you mind?”  
  
She raised her eyebrows. “...I see. Well, so long as nothing...inappropriate happens there.”  
  
“Miss Gothel, we're sixteen.” Clyde said, blushing a bit.  
  
“Well, that's no reason not to suspect any erotic activities, but I trust you will not be doing anything in my old bed. Very well, when are you bringing him?” She asked.  
  
“I was thinking...eight? Tonight?” He said with a small grin.  
  
She nodded. “Alright, then.” She looked thoughtful, then changed form into her green Disciple one. “You go ahead and go about your day, leave everything to me.” She said slyly, then disappeared in a burst of green flame.  
  
“...What is she planning?” Clyde asked, turning and walking away. “We _can_ trust her...right?”  
  
–  
  
By the time they reached the Capital, it was around noon. Varian noticed a hot-air balloon leaving Corona and went to the castle courtyard, where he found Rapunzel talking with Andrew. “Hey!”  
  
“Hey! Your armor!” Rapunzel gasped and ran over to him. “It changed!”  
  
“Finally.” Andrew grinned.  
  
“I just went around lowering all the rocks that were littering the Kingdom. You're welcome!” Varian grinned and then gasped as she hugged him tightly. “Oof! Rapunzel!”  
  
“I'm so happy for you!” She smiled. “No cape anymore.” She teased.  
  
“Yeah, thank goodness.” He rolled his eyes. “By the way, Rapunzel, I saw the hot-air balloon leaving?” He looked at where it went.  
  
“Oh! I just sent my mother to Arendelle.” Rapunzel explained, brushing a loose strand behind her ear. “I've realized that we are...a little in over our heads and we might need some help.”   
  
“So, she's contacting the Queen of Arendelle, the Ice Sorceress Elsa.” Andrew finished for her. “We'll find out how that goes when she returns. For now,” he smiled at Catalina, “your sister has been waiting for you, little Red.”  
  
“Catalina.” Varian corrected. “He name is Catalina.”  
  
“Well, then let's return Catalina to Kiera.” Rapunzel smiled and offered Catalina her hand. “Come on. And are those boots made of black rocks?”  
  
“She didn't have any, and I didn't have any in her size.” Varian shrugged. “I'll remove them for her once she gets back to her own.”  
  
“Pete, are you feeling better now?” They heard someone ask and Varian looked over to see the guard walking by with a scowl.  
  
“ _Someone_ woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” Varian remarked.  
  
“He _did_ get bitten last night.” Andrew reminded her.  
  
“On that note, we need to talk to...Kiera, you said?” Varian looked at Rapunzel.  
  
Rapunzel smiled. “Come on.” She walked off inside and they followed her.  
  
“By the way,” Floyd said as they walked, “The Jester is all sealed up, the children are safe. And the werewolf has been found, so the people can rest easy...mostly.”  
  
Rapunzel nodded. “I'll tell everyone, thank you.”  
  
They walked to Catalina's room and found Kiera sitting with her sister's boots. She looked up and gasped when she saw her, hopping off the bed. “Red, you're--”  
  
“It's okay.” Catalina smiled. “They know my name now.”  
  
Kiera walked over and hugged her. “Catalina, you're back!”  
  
Catalina nodded, then looked down as Varian knelt behind her and retracted the rocks around her feet, leaving her feet bare. She smiled and accepted her boots from her sister and knelt to put them on as Varian stood up.   
  
“Thank you...for finding her.” Kiera said softly.  
  
“You two need to talk.” Varian sighed. “Kiera, your sister is the werewolf. And what we didn't tell anyone is that the werewolf inhabits someone that has repressed rage. Now, I don't know if her _losing_ that rage will get rid of the werewolf or if it's here for life, but, clearly, you two need to talk things out.”  
  
The two girls looked at each other, and then Kiera nodded towards the bed. Catalina hesitated and looked up at Varian and Rapunzel. “Will you...stay? And meter-rate?”  
  
“Mediate.” Varian corrected gently. “And...” He sighed. “I guess I can do that.”  
  
“Me too.” Rapunzel smiled.  
  
They took seats on the bed on either side of the girls and Varian motioned to his father to close to the door for privacy. He nodded and shut the door and then Varian turned back to Catalina.  
  
“...I have...you've...” Catalina sighed.  
  
“If it would help, I have truth serum.” Varian said gently. “Do you think that might be easier?”  
  
Catalina nodded and Varian got it out. “Just one drop, for one hour of truth.” He used the dropper to get it out and put a single drop in her open mouth. She swallowed and then Varian put the serum away. “Kiera, why don't you ask the question?”  
  
Kiera nodded. “Is it...did it take effect?” She asked, and Varian nodded. “Okay...Catalina, what...” She struggled for the right words. “Why would you...let the wolf inhabit you?”  
  
“Because it would help me be heard.” Catalina replied.  
  
“Why did you feel like you weren't being heard?” She asked, her brow furrowed.  
  
“You're always speaking over me, deciding for me, never letting me make my own choices. You act like I don't know what's best for me and tell me what to do _all the time_. I'm always being ordered around by you!” Catalina took her sister's hands in hers. “I love you, Kiera, but I _really_ feel like you're taking advantage of me by making me act shy when I'm _not_! I'm tired of being 'the quiet one', I'm tired of being told what to do! So, when the wolf came to me, I let him in! I'm no longer going to just go along with what people want, but that doesn't mean I'm a bad girl! I'm just speaking for myself, acting for myself, _being myself_ , and that's not bad! And Corona, it's a great place, but I never _wanted_ to settle down! _You_ did! Ever since that quest to try to find your parents, you've been hung up on the idea of settling down somewhere in a city or town, maybe find us a parent or two! But I'm _happy_ with the treehouse we found! I'm _happy_ living with just us!”  
  
Kiera sighed. “I know.” She said quietly. “I just...thought that, if I pushed enough, you'd agree with me that...this...this is better. Having people to care for us, to not have to worry about the next meal, the next place to live, whether we'll even have enough money to afford anything or if we'll go hungry or freeze in the rain at night, I'm...I'm tired of it.”  
  
“There may be a compromise.” Varian said, and they looked up at him.  
  
“A compromise?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“Yes.” Varian nodded. “While it wouldn't be a treehouse, you can have a place of your own and still live near the woods. There's a house that hasn't been occupied yet on the edge of Old Corona – actually, most of them haven't been, but that's besides the point. You two can live there and, to earn your keep, you can work in the fields, or help me with my alchemy.” He looked over at the door. “Dad?”  
  
The door opened and he looked in. Varian looked at the girls. “Is it alright if they have that house on the very outskirts of the village? It would be better than a treehouse, but still give them a bit of isolation.”  
  
“That one is still pretty damaged from the rocks but, if they're willing to help fix it up and they maintain it and get a job, I don't see why not.” Quirin nodded.  
  
Varian nodded. “Cat, I k _now_ it's not living in the wild like you want, but...take it from someone who knows, you don't _want_ to be away from people in case of trouble. A treehouse may _seem_ great, but...it's too far away from help in, say, a blizzard.” He chuckled awkwardly and Rapunzel looked to the side nervously.  
  
Catalina sighed. “Okay. Compromise. But, we can still have the treehouse during the summer months, right?”  
  
“Sure. I'll even help you fix it up, make it homey.” Varian grinned. “But, back to you two.”  
  
Catalina looked at Kiera, who was fidgeting with her hands. “I'm...I'm _sorry_ , Catalina. I...I really just wanted what I thought was best for both of us. I didn't mean to be so bossy, or to...to pressure you into being silent. I just...” She smiled and took her hands. “I love you, Catalina. And I...I'm going to try to be a better sister. I promise, I won't talk over you anymore, I'll listen to you and talk things over with you before deciding anything.”  
  
Catalina smiled and hugged her tightly. “Thank you.” She looked up at Rapunzel and Varian. “Thank you, both of you.”  
  
“But, I didn't do anything.” Rapunzel admitted.  
  
“You were here, that's what's important.” Varian said, getting up off the bed. “And now, we're going to give you girls privacy for the next...forty-five minutes.” He nodded to Rapunzel, who gasped and got up.  
  
“Right! We'll talk to you girls later, okay? Varian, what are you planning for the day?” She smiled at him as they left the room together.  
  
“I think Clyde wanted to do stuff together.” Varian shrugged. “We've been so busy with the scroll, we haven't had time to just...you know, hang out.”  
  
“Oh, well, okay! I won't interrupt your date!” She winked.  
  
“It's not a 'date'.” Varian blushed. “It's just...you know, hanging out.”  
  
“Well, we have plans tonight.” Clyde reminded him. “So, if Her Majesty wants to hang out with you, that's fine.”  
  
“Ohhh, plaaaans tonight?” Rapunzel nudged Varian, who blushed and nudged her back.  
  
“Yeah, well, I'm sure you and Eugene have plans.” He said, glancing away.  
  
“Mmm, yeah, I'm going to go see if he's free tonight.” Rapunzel walked off. “Hey, have you seen Pascal?” She asked as she walked away.  
  
“No idea.” Varian called back.  
  
“I'm sure he's alright.” Floyd assured her.  
  
Varian shrugged and turned to Clyde. “So...”  
  
Clyde grinned and took his hand. “What do you say we go get some lunch?” He looked at Varian's bodyguards. “Mind if I take him away?”  
  
“Only because I know you can keep him safe.” Quirin said firmly.  
  
Clyde grinned. “You bet I can.”  
  
“Hey, maybe I can give you some cool black-rock armor.” Varian suggested as they walked away together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for a little one-on-one time!


	59. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clyde and Varian go on a..."hanging out".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

Now in the Capital, which had been warded by the Saporians, Varian released the armor from around his body and sighed as he stopped using his powers at all. Then he took off his glove and examined his hand before starting to pull it back on.  
  
“Wait.” Clyde reached out and took his bare hand. “I don't think I've ever done this.”  
  
Varian chuckled. “Yeah, I...” he sighed, “I was told to never remove my gloves, and now I know _why_ , but...it feels weird to have my hands bare.”  
  
Clyde let go of his hand, pulled off his glove, and then took his hand in his again. “Heh...so, this is what it feels like when bare hands touch.”  
  
“Feels a little...indecent. Like we're doing something forbidden.” Varian chuckled.  
  
“Want to remove the other one?” Clyde suggested.  
  
“Let's, uh, go sit down.” Varian suggested.  
  
They walked over and sat down at the fountain, then removed the other glove from each of their hands, putting their gloves in their pockets before they reached out and touched hands unobstructed. “Whoa...” Clyde breathed, “this...feels _amazing_.”  
  
Varian smiled and scooted closer, lacing his fingers with Clyde's. The taller boy blushed and smiled, squeezing his hands a bit as they touched their heads together. “I can't help but feel like dad's gonna come up at any moment and tell me to put my gloves back on.” Varian admitted quietly.  
  
  
“Well, we _could_...and remove them later, in private.” Clyde whispered.  
  
“Okay, _that_ sounded indecent.” Varian chuckled.  
  
Clyde blushed. “Shit, you're right.”  
  
Varian laughed and uncurled his fingers. Clyde did the same and they pulled apart to put their gloves back on. “So...lunch?” Clyde suggested.   
  
“Sounds great, you paying?” Varian grinned.  
  
“Sure.” Clyde smirked and got up. Varian got up as well and they headed down the street. “You know, it's nice not having to carry your cape anymore.”  
  
“Weren't you saying you _liked_ doing that?” Varian smirked.  
  
“Mmm, true. But, I _mostly_ miss having to carry _you_.” He then grinned and lifted Varian over his shoulder, earning a yelp.   
  
“Clyde! Put me down!” Varian cried as he was carried along. “C-C'mon, not in front of _everyone_! Put me _down_!”   
  
Clyde laughed and shifted his position so he was cradled in his arms bridal-style, instead. “Better?”  
  
“Geez!” Varian pushed against him. “I can _walk_!”  
  
“You _are_ capable, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you _do_ it.” Clyde grinned. “Not when my big, strong arms are here to carry you through the street, pipsqueak.”  
  
“Knock it off, beanpole! People are _staring_!” Varian said, blushing.  
  
Clyde chuckled and carried him to a cafe, where he set him down in a chair at an outside table. “Anything in particular you want?”  
  
Varian sighed. “Surprise me.” He smiled a bit.  
  
Clyde did a finger-gun and clicked his tongue before he went into the cafe. Varian sighed softly and chuckled a bit, clasping his hands together as he thought of the feeling of Clyde's hands against his skin. It had been only two years since they last met, but it felt like longer between everything Varian had gone through and how much Clyde had grown. He'd gained a lot of muscle bulk, and he was already pretty strong from his farm work, and he was even more handsome than when they were kids and Varian was trying to deny he had feelings for him while they played pranks back and forth on each other. He chuckled a bit, thinking of when he first made his dye alchemy – Clyde had been his test subject, and not a willing one. He'd gone around with blue hair until Varian gave him the alchemy needed to undo it; after laughing his butt off, of course.  
  
Varian had also undergone some changes to his body, and not just the scars. He'd grown taller, stronger, maybe filled out just enough to be less effeminate. Maybe. He'd...have to ask someone, but that was a weird question to ask, wasn't it? The biggest change in him had been learning why he was born with a teal streak in his hair and why he was never allowed to remove his gloves. And also why he had a strange crescent-moon-shaped birthmark on his chest, which he hadn't actually shown Rapunzel yet. Not that it mattered.  
  
His hair had also gotten longer, and his shoulders were wider and he had grown older but so had Clyde and it was hard to believe he was 16 because he looked so _adult_ and Varian watched him as he ordered food and drinks for them, his eyes traveling up and down his body, wondering how he looked like under his clothes now, if he had any scars from fighting monsters, if Clyde would remove his shirt sometime and let him admire— _examine_ him for any, uh, recent wounds.  
  
What was he thinking? They weren't even _officially_ _a couple_ yet, he couldn't ask him to do _that_! His cheeks went pink and he hid them in his arms as he laid his head on his arms on the table. He felt something bump against his head and looked up to see Clyde looked at him with an amused smile, a drink in his hand. “They're making the food, I'll be right back over there, but here's your juice.”  
  
Varian nodded and sat up, taking the juice and sipping from it quietly from the straw as Clyde set down his drink and went to get their food.  
  
When he returned, he handed Varian a sandwich and sat down with his own. “Alright, lunch.”  
  
Varian grinned and took the sandwich taking a bite. “Mm...” He hummed happily, then blinked and looked over when he heard giggling nearby. He looked over and a couple was sitting at a table with a drink between them, two straws facing each of them. “What's going on there?”  
  
“Ah, it's a thing they started doing in Neserdnia, I think. Or was it Koto? Couples sharing one drink.” Clyde explained. “I guess it's started to catch on here.”  
  
“Do you wanna try it?” Varian asked, then blushed when he realized what he'd asked. What was he _doing_ , they weren't a _couple_!  
  
“Sure.” Clyde grinned. “I'll go get a 'berry delight'.” He winked and got up to walk over and order one.  
  
“Wait, but, are we...?” Varian sputtered, growing flustered.  
  
It occurred to him, suddenly, that the reason everyone had been teasing him about their relationship was because they had been acting a lot like Rapunzel and Eugene did. They just...casually slipped into acting like a couple, just without the kissing, and then that intimate hand-holding earlier, and now the drink-sharing? Should they just...make it official? But, what if he was wrong? What if this was just Clyde doing his usual teasing?  
  
Clyde came back with the drink and set it down and Varian blurted out “Are we a couple?!”  
  
Clyde blinked in surprise, then laughed a bit. “Wait, you _just_ figured that out?”  
  
Varian blushed pink. “I-I thought...you were just teasing, like when we were kids.”  
  
“Varian,” Clyde sat down, shaking his head with amused disbelief, “I've liked you since we were _eight_.”  
  
Varian blinked and blushed even more. “Oh.”  
  
“Yeah, I thought you knew.” He chuckled.  
  
“...I've...liked you, too. Since...since we were ten.” Varian said quietly, poking at his juice.  
  
“Well, now that we both know we're actually a couple,” Clyde tapped the new drink, “share this with me?”  
  
Varian looked up at him with surprise, then leaned forward. “So, uh...do we...do this at the same time?”  
  
“Yeah, like kissing, only it's a drink.” Clyde smiled. “An indirect kiss.”  
  
“K-Kissing.” Varian whispered.  
  
“You ready?” Clyde leaned forward.  
  
Varian nodded, swallowing nervously, and then leaned forward more as Clyde did the same. His lips closed on the straw as Clyde's did and they both took a sip of the sweet, sugary fruit drink. Varian could taste an explosion of berries, but that wasn't what he was focused on. Clyde's eyes were focused on his as they drank and he found he couldn't look away. Their hands clasped on either side of the drink and it felt like the whole world fell away.  
  
Too soon, the drink was done and they released the straws, but still held hands, eyes still gazing deeply into each other. Then, finally, they looked away and released hands to get back to their food, both of them blushing intensely.  
  
“That was...I liked it.” Varian said with a shy smile.  
  
“Me too.” Clyde smiled back.  
  
They started to eat their food, but found themselves glancing up at the other as they ate, their cheeks warm and pink.   
  
“So...” Varian said after he'd finished his sandwich and was now swirling his straw around his mostly-empty glass of juice, “what's going on tonight?”  
  
“A surprise.” Clyde grinned. “Don't you trust me?”  
  
“Mmm, the last time we went, you left me there during a storm.” Varian smirked.  
  
“Heh, yeah. I was a real brat.” Clyde nodded. “But, you were safer there than I was in the storm. I ended up hiding In a cave all night.”  
  
“Aw, poor you! You should've stayed in the creepy old cottage with me.” Varian smirked.  
  
“Yeah.” Clyde nodded, taking Varian's hand again. “I should've. Silly little Clyde was a real dumbass.”  
  
“He was.” Varian nodded, leaning forward a bit. “But, you're not so much of one now.”  
  
“No?” Clyde chuckled, leaning forward as well. “And you're not so much of a disaster child anymore.”  
  
“Aw, I still make a few disasters.” Varian said softly.  
  
“Good thing I'm here to help you clean up after them, then.” Clyde whispered as they leaned in closer.  
  
“Yeah?” Varian smiled and laced his fingers with his, his eyes closing.  
  
“Yeah.” Clyde closed his eyes and then their lips met in the middle, and it felt so wonderful Varian could swear he was melting. They held the kiss until they both had to stop for breath and Clyde chased his lips after they parted for a little peck before they smiled at each other, hands clasped together, the world around them completely forgotten.  
  
They realized the world existed again when they heard someone going “Awww!” and looked up to see Rapunzel and Eugene had found them.  
  
“Well, Sunshine, it looked like this cafe is all booked up for 'adorable couple'.” Eugene smirked. “Was _wondering_ when you two would finally get to that.”  
  
“You two are _so cute_!” Rapunzel squealed.  
  
Varian and Clyde's hands slipped from each other and Varian awkwardly sipped his drink.  
  
“Hey, don't stop on _our_ account.” Eugene grinned. “Is that berry thing good?”  
  
“It's wonderful.” Clyde assured him.  
  
“Let's try it!” Rapunzel said as they went to get one.  
  
Clyde smiled at Varian. “Don't worry. Tonight, it's just me and you.”  
  
Varian smiled shyly. “Can't wait. When do we go?”  
  
“Around eight sound good?” He smiled and took his hand again. “I'm pretty much done here, what do you say we leave?”  
  
“Sounds great.” Varian nodded and got up. Clyde smiled and squeezed his hand as they walked away from the cafe.  
  
They walked through the town square and Clyde noticed a bard was playing a few people were dancing. He grinned and turned to Varian. “Shall we dance?”  
  
“I haven't danced any actual dances in a while.” Varian admitted.  
  
“Well, good, then we're both out of practice.” Clyde chuckled. “I've been traveling all over, learning all sorts of dances.”  
  
“Teach me?” Varian asked.  
  
“Okay.” He pulled him into the center and they started to dance, first doing the traditional Coronan dance before he showed him how to do a Kotoan dance, then one from Ingvarr, Pittsford, Galcrest and finally Bayangor before going back to Corona. By the time they were done, Varian was feeling dizzy and tired but happy and so in love he felt like he was flying as Clyde guided him through each dance. Then he pulled him close, intimately close, and he blushed. “Clyde?”  
  
“This one,” Clyde said gently, “was one I saw your aunt and uncle doing. It's apparently one from the Dark Kingdom. They didn't do it long, she started feeling fidgety, but Hector was willing to teach me it.” He laid Varian's head on his shoulder and they swayed from side to side, swaying close together like a little boat on on the sea, turning slowly as they held onto each other like they were all they had in the world.  
  
“It's nice.” Varian said softly, closing his eyes. “Really nice.”  
  
“Yeah.” Clyde smiled and kissed his head gently, then stopped the dance as the music ended and walked him over to sit on a bench with him. “Are you having fun?”  
  
“Mmhm.” Varian smiled. “So...this _isn't_ 'just hanging out', huh? This is a date?”  
  
Clyde chuckled and nodded. “This is a date.”  
  
Varian leaned his head on his shoulder. “I like it.”  
  
“Good.” Clyde smiled. “You deserve to be happy. I hope I can make you happy for the rest of our lives.”  
  
Varian blushed. “U-Uhm...yeah. Wow.”  
  
Clyde chuckled. “I'm...not proposing, if that's what you're thinking. _Way_ too soon for that, yeah?”  
  
“Heh, yeah. We're too young, anyway.” Varian nodded.  
  
“Too young.” Clyde nodded. “But...you know, maybe in the future.”  
  
“If we live that long.” Varian shrugged.  
  
Clyde chuckled and squeezed his hand. “We will. I'll make sure of it.”  
  
“So...we've got some time to kill. What'd you wanna do?” Varian asked.  
  
“Hm...” Clyde looked thoughtful. “What did _you_ wanna do?”  
  
Varian sighed. “I'm not sure. My life has been so...driven, so...I haven't just had a... _quiet_ day since the blizzard. Every day had some sort of goal, a problem to solve, a question to answer.”  
  
“Well...” Clyde smiled, “then, why don't we just wander and see what the day brings?”  
  
“Okay.” Varian smiled.  
  
As the day went on, they went around town and got candy from Uncle Monty, visited Xavier to just talk and hear a legend while he worked, dropped by the castle to check on the Royal Guard, – who were getting their butts whooped by Juniper in training – hung out with Cassandra and her dads and told them the development of their relationship, and finally went out to row a boat from the island to the mainland as it got closer to when they'd be going to Gothel's cottage.  
  
“So, can I at least get a hint?” Varian asked as they walked hand-in-hand through the woods.  
  
“Heh, you're asking for me to tell you what happens at the end of the book.” Clyde nudged him.  
  
“The end, or the middle?” Varian asked.  
  
“How about we focus on the beginning?” He kissed his hand and pulled him along down a fork, following the river to a stream that was around a cottage, a waterfall behind it. “Not so scary now that we're older, huh?”  
  
“Heh, _I_ was never scared.” Varian smirked at him. “Not...of the place at least. Being left alone like that... _that_ scared me.” He admitted.  
  
“Sorry.” Clyde kissed his cheek sweetly. “Forgive little me?”  
  
“Mm...sure.” Varian chuckled and then they walked over, Clyde reaching to open the door.  
  
To their mutual surprise, the place had been cleaned up, a fire was roaring in the fireplace and there was food on the table. They looked around with surprise and caught Gothel coming out of a room in a green and black Disciple form, looking just as surprised as them.  
  
“Oh! You're early.” She checked a clock. “Or that thing is just slow.” She looked back at them. “Well, don't worry, everything is ready, I'll get out of your hair, now. Enjoy your date, dears.” She turned into her ghost form and flew through a wall.  
  
Clyde watched her go. “Heh. And here I was expecting to light the fire myself and we could cuddle by it while it warmed us up before I made you something for dinner. She went and pampered us.”  
  
Varian chuckled. “Well, let's not let her cooking go to waste.” He pulled him over to sit next to him and they started to plate up food. “So, she knew about this, huh?”  
  
“I figure, since she was around, I'd ask her permission to do this.” Clyde shrugged. “Then she asked what time and then left. She said we can't do anything 'inappropriate', though.”  
  
Varian laughed. “Sounds like her!” He smiled and kissed his cheek. “Your idea sounded sweet, though. Maybe we can have a picnic under the stars sometime.”  
  
“Mm, that sounds nice.” Clyde nodded, then took his hand and squeezed it. “It's nice to not have to do anything, though.”  
  
“Heh, yeah. I wonder if she recognized we liked each other before _we_ did?” Varian wondered, looking at the wall she left through.  
  
“Possibly.” Clyde laughed.  
  
Varian smiled and squeezed his hand before he used his free one to start eating, Clyde doing the same. “Wanna bet she's out there 'guarding'?” He smirked, looking towards the door.  
  
“Nah, I've done enough betting.” He kissed him sweetly and Varian blushed. “I already got all the prizes I want.”  
  
“Am I worth it?” Varian asked softly.  
  
“You,” Clyde kissed him again, moving his hand from his to wrap his arms around him, scooting closer, “are worth _everything_.”  
  
They kissed again and then chuckled when they heard a violin being played outside. Yep, Gothel was _definitely_ still around, just not in a disruptive way like Rapunzel would be. It was nice, having someone be so quietly supportive of their relationship. Clyde and Varian continued to eat and drink as the violin continued to play and then, once they were finished, they got up and started to dance together to the pleasant music.   
  
Varian smiled and focused, his hair, eyes and freckles glowing as black rocks started to move over them, changing their outfits into something more romantic and flowy as they danced and danced, the firelight bouncing off their black, white and blue tailcoat suits. Clyde smiled and kissed him and then they kept dancing, moving together, spinning, pulling away and coming back together, going through dance style after dance style until they grew too tired to keep dancing and then they curled up by the fireplace, the black rocks all disappearing to leave them in their normal clothes.   
  
They smiled and removed their gloves again, setting them to the side as they clasped their hands together, kissing again.   
  
They knew that trouble was on the horizon, that this peaceful moment couldn't last but, nor now, they were content to just relax together with nothing but themselves, the crackling fire and the distant sound of Gothel's violin.   
  
They stayed like that for hours, eventually dozing off in each others arms by the fire. Gothel looked in to check on them after she hadn't seen their shadows in the window in a little while and smiled before gently grabbing a blanket and draping it over them, fondly stroking their cheeks with a hand before she went to go clean up the dirty dishes, letting them sleep.  
  
It had been _so long_ since she doted on Varian.  
  
–  
  
“Something is coming...” A blonde woman said softly as she watched the sun rise from the balcony of her bedroom. “Something... _dark_ is coming. I have a bad feeling.”  
  
“Elsa?” She heard a yawn behind her and turned to see her younger sister sitting up in bed. “Why are you already awake? It's... _five in the morning_.”  
  
Elsa smiled and walked over to climb back onto the bed. “Don't you have your _own_ room, Anna? Why don't you go back to bed in there?”  
  
“Not _my_ fault you put me to sleep reading.” She stuck out her tongue and they both giggled. “Whoa! What's that?” She got up and went to the window, Elsa following her.  
  
A strange basket being carried by a big balloon was flying towards Arendelle. “Oh!” Anna gasped. “I've heard about those! That's a...a...hot-air balloon! Yeah! But I didn't know people who could make it still _existed_! Eee!” She squealed and ran from the room.  
  
“Anna! You're in your nightgown!” Elsa gasped and ran out after her, also in her nightgown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What could be this strange contraption?


	60. Rallying Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arianna visits Arendelle to get help. Meanwhile, evil is plotting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney  
> Frozen (c) Disney

The hot-air balloon touched down and people crowded around it in curiosity. Arianna opened the door that Varian had installed on it to make it easier to leave it and stepped out, Rapunzel's letter in a satchel at her side.  
  
“Aunt Arianna!” She looked up as the royal sisters came running to see her. “Aunt Arianna, is it really you?!”  
  
“Hello, Anna.” She said with a tired smile, feeling a bit of the weight from what she was here to do lifting from her a little at the sight of the younger sister's smile, so much like her sister's. “And Elsa.” She greeted the older girl with a gentle smile, then giggled a bit. “Are you _both_ in your nightwear?”  
  
Elsa blushed and fidgeted with her hands and the ends of her sleeves. “We...we got...excited.” She explained.  
  
“Well, why don't we go inside and I can sit down for a while while you both get dressed?” Arianna suggested.  
  
“Right! Let's go!” Anna hugged her and pulled her along as they headed into the castle together.  
  
Once inside, they released her and went to get dressed, leaving Arianna to look around and get lost in her memories. She could remember running around this building with her own sister, Agnarr chasing them to try to keep them out of trouble. He was always such a good older brother, she recalled that she and Willow had cried together when they heard of his death, more heartbreak for an already distressed Arianna. But, she imagined it must have been so much harder for their children, who could not even comfort each other because of Elsa's out of control powers.  
  
According to Rapunzel, who had gone to Elsa's coronation a few months before her own with Eugene, she had finally grown confident in her powers to control them, enough that she was able to create ice sculptures and even clothes with her powers, as well as bringing a snowman to life. Which was _way_ beyond the ice powers they thought she had, so she could only guess that there was more to Elsa than anyone knew.  
  
But, it was because she had control now that they had sent her here to ask her to leave the safety of Arendelle and join the fight against the cultists before the demon is summoned and everywhere is at risk.  
  
She was alerted to the sisters' return by the sound of their footsteps and turned to face them from where she had been looking at a picture of her family when she was young. “Queen Arianna.” Elsa greeted.  
  
“Oh, please, just 'Aunt Arianna'. Besides...” She sighed, walking over to them. “I...am no longer a Queen.”  
  
“How come?” Anna asked.  
  
“It's...” Arianna sighed. “It's...difficult to say. But, Rapunzel is Queen now, and she sent me here with a letter for you.” She pulled out the letter and the sisters moved closer to look at it together as she handed it to Anna.  
  
“'Dear Anna', hmmmhmmmhmm...what?” Anna looked at it with confusion.  
  
“'Magic-using evil cultists'?” Elsa frowned and they read on.  
  
“'My father was recently revealed to have been conspiring with them'...what?” Anna's brow furrowed.  
  
“That is why I am no longer Queen. When he was removed from the throne, so was I.” Arianna sighed. “But, I was on the side of the revolution, and I stand by Rapunzel and Varian.”  
  
“Who's Varian?” Anna asked as Elsa read on silently.  
  
“He's Rapunzel's counterpart, and a very smart boy.” Arianna smiled fondly. “He's just...” she sighed, “he's made some mistakes.”  
  
“Who hasn't?” Anna shrugged, looking back at the letter. “Wait, counterpart? What happened to Eugene?” She looked back up at her.  
  
“Not _that_ kind of counterpart. He is the Moon to her Sun. Literally, she is the Sundrop and he's the Moonstone. Pieces of the Sun and Moon.” Arianna explained.  
  
“Ohhh. But, she and Eugene are still together, right?” Anna asked anxiously.  
  
“Yes.” Arianna smiled, then looked at Elsa. “...Elsa?”  
  
“...I have to go to Corona.” She said, looking at Anna.  
  
“ _We_ have to go to Corona.” Anna said insistently. “And I'm going to go talk to Sven and Kristoff and see if they're coming. Oh, and Olaf!” She turned and ran off.  
  
Elsa giggled a bit, then looked back at the latter. “So, this... _Varian_ needs my help with his powers?”  
  
“He has it mostly figured out, but I think part of him is...afraid of it.” Arianna sighed. “He only found out he has powers very recently, and though he _acts_ strong, well...he's in a lot of pain, emotionally...some physical pain, too, though that's mostly faded. The source of his powers destroyed his life as he knew it, and he had been lied to by his father for most of his life, never told about his powers until he found out by pure chance.”  
  
“That sounds like a lot of emotional baggage.” Elsa said, tugging at her sleeve a bit.  
  
“It is.” Arianna nodded. “And, well, I know that you were afraid of your powers before...maybe you could help him overcome his fear of his own.”  
  
Elsa nodded. “I will do my best. And, of course, I will do what I can against these cultists. But, dear aunt...why would your husband side with them?”  
  
Arianna's expression darkened. “I don't know exactly. From what little I have managed to understand, my husband was raised on generations of hidden cruelty. His people have been covering up generations of lies, and Frederic used that... _skill_ to hide the fact that he had been terrorizing poor little Varian from the moment his father was trapped in amber created by an alchemical accident.” She turned and walked away a bit, wrapping her arms around herself. “He had him hunted down, put under house arrest, lied to our faces about his hometown being just fine when it wasn't, it was being destroyed. He drove little Varian into crime, treason, to make us hear his plight, his pleas for help that everyone ignored because of my husband's clever machinations. And, then, once he had him in prison, he whipped him once a month, _every_ month, and tried to force him to give in and agree to be Frederic's slave in a secret location. We sent Varian away on a prison barge with other criminals when the prison sustained some damage. It was on the prison barge that he met Rapunzel again and joined her. It was on that journey that he found out about his powers. And, when they returned, they told us of all that my husband had done, and we forced him off his throne. But, just before he was arrested for treason, for letting the people suffer for his selfishness, he was taken away by the cultists, by one that he had been in contact with, that had helped him terrorize Varian before.”  
  
She gasped as she felt Elsa's gentle hand on her shoulder and turned to her. “That's a terrible story...I will do what I can to help him, though I know that the isolation I have faced is _nothing_ like what _he_ has endured.”  
  
Arianna smiled. “Thank you.”  
  
“Okay, we just need to pack up and stuff, how long are we talking?” Anna came walking in with her boyfriend, his reindeer and Elsa's little living snowman.  
  
“Does Sven know about what he's going to have to do?” Arianna asked calmly.  
  
“Kristoff, you told him, right?” Anna turned to the blond man.  
  
“Yes, we talked about it.” Kristoff assured her, then used another voice as he leaned in close to Sven. “I'm excited to be human for a while!”  
  
“Oh, oh, oh, can _I_ be human?” The snowman asked excitedly.  
  
“Uhm...we'll have to see, Saporian magic may have its limits.” Arianna chuckled a bit.  
  
“Saporian?” Elsa asked.   
  
“Yes.” Arianna nodded. “We are allies now, and are making amends for the generations of my husband's family tearing them down.”  
  
“Whoa, wait, what?” Anna asked. “What did we miss?”  
  
“I'll tell you later.” Elsa said gently. “As for how long it will be, as long as it takes. I need to arrange for someone to lead Arendelle while I am away. Excuse me.” She walked off.  
  
“This will be _so exciting_ , I've _never_ left Arendelle!” Anna said excitedly. “I mean, I know it's not really a fun trip, there's demons and cultists and all _sorts_ of crazy stuff going on, but I'm still excited to go!” She gasped. “Oh my gosh, what is Sven gonna look like as a human?!”  
  
Kristoff chuckled. “Well, we'll soon find out. So, uh, is it true that Princess Rapunzel's hair is...long and magical?”  
  
“Yes.” Arianna nodded. “And it's _Queen_ now.”  
  
“Oh! Well, congratulations to her.” Kristoff paused. “I think.”  
  
“The circumstances were...difficult, but she seems to have adjusted well.” Arianna nodded.  
  
“Good to hear.” He nodded.  
  
“Oh, what's it like in Corona?” Olaf asked eagerly.  
  
“Well, right now we're just entering Spring.” Arianna smiled. “There will be flowers everywhere and new baby animals.”  
  
“Baby animals!” Olaf gasped excitedly.  
  
“Mmhm.” Arianna nodded, then sighed, thinking of how difficult things had gotten.   
  
“Well, we better go pack!” Anna tugged on Kristoff's arm, then ran off to do so. He watched her with with a sigh and a smile and then waved to Arianna before he headed off to do his own packing, Sven following behind him.  
  
“Well...” Arianna smiled. “I guess it's just you and me, Olaf.”  
  
He gasped and hopped excitedly.  
  
–  
  
Elsa didn't know if she was up to this task. If she was understanding everything right, there was a _thoroughly_ traumatized teenager with powers he didn't even know he _had_ until recently, powers from a source that had caused him great distress and caused him to be essentially orphaned for...how long? Long enough for him to lose his mind, go into crime and commit treason, whatever the details of _that_ were.  
  
Still, Rapunzel was counting on her to help out with this child's powers, as well as fighting the evil threatening Corona. An evil that had recruited Rapunzel's _own father_ into their ranks, her father who had apparently been _torturing_ the teenager that Elsa was being asked to help figure out his powers. She was still figuring out her _own_! Was she even _qualified_ for this?!   
  
Well, she would have to figure it out as she went. Because she already said she'd go, and since she was going to be there _anyway_ , she may as well help Mr. Boatload-of-Issues while she's there. So, she arranged for someone to care for the Kingdom in her place, packed her bags, and then they were climbing into the hot-air balloon's basket and heading back to Corona.  
  
While Anna and Kristoff talked about the view with Olaf and “Sven”, she found her thoughts on the moon, not the view. Even though, she had to admit, this _was_ a great view.  
  
\--  
  
By the time they got to Corona, the moon was high in the sky. Arianna set the basket down and then they stepped out into the courtyard of Corona Castle. They saw Rapunzel walking up to them with a look of relief on her face and then she ran forward and pulled both sisters into a hug, then Kristoff, Sven, and finally Olaf.  
  
“I'm so glad you're here!” She cried happily. “I've prepared rooms for all of you – Kristoff, do you mind rooming with Sven? Sven, I'm going to need you to follow Maximus, he'll take you to where you'll get transformed.” She nodded to the blonde man next to her.  
  
“That's fine. Can I go with them?” Kristoff asked. “As, you know, moral support?”  
  
“Oh, of course!” Rapunzel said cheerfully. “Girls, I wasn't sure if you wanted a shared room or your own, so I went with shared because I knew how close you were, is that okay?”  
  
“Of course it is!” Anna said cheerfully.  
  
“It's...fine.” Elsa looked around. “Uhm...where's the...Varian?”  
  
“'The Varian',” Rapunzel giggled, “is in Old Corona with his family. You'll meet them tomorrow.”  
  
Elsa nodded. “Alright, then. Show us to our room, please.”  
  
“Right this way!” Rapunzel motioned for them to follow her. “Oh, this is going to be great! We can have _so many sleepovers_ , eeee!”  
  
“Oh my gosh, that will be _amazing_!” Anna gasped and squealed.  
  
“...Great.” Elsa looked back at the basket, then followed the other two as Arianna trailed behind her, Olaf skipping along at Elsa's side.  
  
–  
  
Varian was finding it hard to sleep. Was it the stress of the Disciples, the memories that haunted him with the scars, or was he just unable to sleep because the moon was full? Catalina had stayed the night in his home again, and he was glad that the moon would be moving on to the next cycle soon. She was sweet, even as a werewolf, but she apparently decided that she was going to pace the ground outside with Adira and he couldn't help but worry for the girl.  
  
He heard the door to his bedroom open and looked over his shoulder. “Hey.” He greeted with a smile.  
  
“Hey.” Clyde walked over and wrapped his arms around him. “Shouldn't you be asleep, not standing by your window?”  
  
“Can't sleep.” He shrugged. “Too much to think about.”  
  
“Let me clear your mind a little.” Clyde smiled and kissed him sweetly. “Would you be able to sleep better if we cuddled?”  
  
“Mm...maybe.” Varian smiled.  
  
Clyde let go of him and walked over to climb into bed, patting the spot next to him. Varian walked over and climbed into bed with him.  
  
“You know, theoretically, you and your dad have your _own_ house.” He smirked and snuggled up close.  
  
“Eh, I'm almost an adult.” Clyde shrugged.  
  
“Bullshit, we're almost sixteen.” Varian laughed.  
  
“ _I_ already _am_.” Clyde smirked.  
  
Varian gasped. “Wait, seriously? Already? Ugh, I need to make you a cake or something!”  
  
Clyde laughed and kissed him lightly. “You are too adorable. We'll worry about it in the morning. By the way, saw the hot-air balloon heading back to Corona Capital. Looked like it had more than one passenger onboard.”  
  
“That means the Queen of Arendelle must be onboard.” Varian sighed with relief. “That's good.”  
  
Clyde nodded and held him closer. “We'll worry about it tomorrow, though. For now, let's sleep.”  
  
“Mmm, can you hum me to sleep?” Varian asked.  
  
“What song?” Clyde grinned.  
  
“Whatever song Gothel was playing last night.” He sighed contentedly.  
  
Clyde nodded and started to hum. Varian smiled, closing his eyes and nuzzling him as he drifted off to sleep. The humming faded off as Clyde followed suit.  
  
–  
  
A boat sailed towards Corona, full of goods both precious and mundane. A seagull sat above, looking down at a particular box. Though the people below paid her no mind, her eyes glinted and glowed green before she flew up to look at how far they had to go.  
  
'The boat will arrive by morning.' She thought. 'That gives the people of Corona plenty of time to drink it before the Sundrop catches on.' She turned and flew off, heading back towards The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow.  
  
When she got close enough, she started to land, changing form as she touched down into a woman in a fancy dress. A girl in a similar outfit approached her and she smiled. “Everything is going according to plan, Melina.”  
  
“Good. Once enough of them have been changed, the Sundrop will take notice and bring them into her care to try to find a cure. And that's when _I'm_ going to play.” She giggled.  
  
“Selina, how was the sea?” Lucas walked up to them.  
  
“Beautiful, as always. The tea will arrive in the morning, and we _all_ know how the people of Corona love their Neserdnian teas.” Selina smiled slyly. “How is our new brother?”  
  
“Coming along. Tromus says he'll be ready in a week.” Lucas nodded. “I, for one, am rather eager to see what gifts our Mistress grants him.”  
  
“I as well.” Selina nodded.  
  
“It's _always_ exciting to get a new brother!” Melina giggled.  
  
“Yes, it is.” Lucas purred with a grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can Elsa help Varian overcome his concerns with his powers, or is his trauma too much for her to help?
> 
> ((A/N: I have never written for Frozen cast before, so if I mess up a little, I apologize.))


	61. Feathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Elsa and her group arrive at Corona, trouble strikes!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney  
> Frozen (c) Disney

Varian arrived in Corona Capital with his entourage for breakfast with Rapunzel as usual and waved to people that greeted him. It felt nice to be appreciated, though some part of him couldn't help but superimpose the image of their angrily throwing stones and fruit at him when he hadn't even _done_ anything to warrant their hate.  
  
Like sheep, they blindly followed the opinion of their leader – they just changed leaders, is all. If he hadn't had the support of Rapunzel, this revolution would surely have not come to pass.  
  
They entered the castle courtyard and he stopped as he witnessed a stranger with light-brown, frumpy hair falling on his face with his butt in the air with an exasperated Maximus slapping his hand to his face in exasperation nearby him.  
  
Ruddiger laughed from behind Varian. “Need some help there, Max?”  
  
“Sven, come on, it's not _that_ difficult!” Maximus said as the stranger pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, putting his raised butt down on the ground. “Ruddiger, hello, no, I am fine. I do not need help teaching _this...this...fool_. _”_  
  
“Hey, don't call him names.” A blond stranger walked over and helped the other stranger stand.  
  
“Fine! _You_ teach your reindeer to walk!” Maximus threw his hands up. “I have other priorities!”  
  
Varian raised an eyebrow. “Reindeer?”  
  
“Yes, reindeer. This is Kristoff and Sven, from Arendelle. They came with the Queen, the Princess, and their _talking, living snowman_. I need a drink.” Maximus groaned, pinching his nose.  
  
Varian chuckled and walked over to Kristoff. “Well, I hope that you've had nicer reception other than Maximus and his bad mood.”  
  
“Hey!” Maximus huffed. “I'm just annoyed that I didn't get any _warning_! That blasted snowman has been getting into _everything_ , because, surprise, surprise, _he doesn't sleep_.”  
  
“And he has the maturity of an eight year old.” Fidella said, walking over to them with a white figure running around her. “Good morning, Varian. The Queen...s are inside, just...go on and join them. Don't worry about this.”  
  
“I'll stick around and help them out.” Ruddiger said to Varian, who nodded before heading in with the Brotherhood, the demon-hunters and Catalina, the latter of which ran off to join her sister when she spotted her.  
  
“Well, looks like life in the Capital is as lively as ever.” Varian said as they entered the dining hall.  
  
“Varian, you're here!” Rapunzel waved to them.  
  
“Oh, good, some sanity.” Eugene said, looking a little haggard. “Have you seen our new resident living snowman?”  
  
“I saw him. Haven't actually talked to him yet, Fidella ushered me in before I could. Seems, uh, the reindeer is having trouble adjusting.” Varian shrugged as he walked over to take his seat, Clyde taking the seat next to him.  
  
“Oh, Sven.” Anna giggled. “I'm sure he'll be okay, he's really smart! So, you're Varian? I'm Anna, and this is Elsa!”  
  
“Good morning.” Elsa said, setting her fork down to greet him.  
  
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for coming to aid us in our fight.” Varian said with a soft smile.  
  
Elsa nodded and then looked back at her food. Varian recalled hearing that she spent most of my life in isolation and, unlike Rapunzel, hadn't opened up to people as eagerly and properly regarded strangers warily. He didn't blame her, especially with the madness going on in this Kingdom.  
  
“Did you have a good flight?” Varian asked, deciding to address her sister, instead.  
  
Anna gasped. “Oh my gosh, it was sooooo nice, the view was sooo beautiful and the ride was sooo smooth! And I heard that _you_ built the balloon?”  
  
Varian blushed. “Well, I improved on the Saporian design that already existed. Oh, did you meet the Saporian Prince and Princess yet?”  
  
“Not yet, they went to some construction site, apparently.” Anna shrugged. “But they'll be back soon, they said!”  
  
“Right, they're working on rebuilding Saporia. I should pay the site a visit.” Varian smiled. “Lady Arianna, was your trip to Arendelle eventful?”  
  
“Thankfully, it wasn't. I managed to avoid any trouble with the cultists on my way out and they didn't accost us on the way back in, either.” Arianna sighed. “I only hope that this isn't the calm before I brutal storm.”  
  
Varian nodded, clutching at his glove.  
  
They heard the doors slam open and Fidella came in with an exasperated expression as a little white figure ran into the room and hopped onto a chair next to Elsa. Now that he'd stopped moving around, Varian could see that he was looking at a snowman with a perpetual flurry of snow over his head.  
  
“Varian, this is Olaf.” Anna explained as Fidella walked out and shut the doors behind her.  
  
“Ahh, the infamous living, talking snowman.” Varian said with amusement.  
  
“And you're the Moon boy!” Olaf said cheerfully. “Wow, you're a lot _younger_ than we expected.”  
  
“What, no one told you I was fifteen?” Varian raised an eyebrow. “Well, sixteen, next month.”  
  
“We did hear you were a child. And happy early birthday!” Anna said cheerfully.  
  
“Wait, when _is_ your birthday?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“March 20th. But, I don't normally cele—“  
  
“I am throwing you a party.” Rapunzel said firmly, cutting him off with a big smile.  
  
“...Okay, then.” Varian shrugged. “Uh, let's focus on the...you know... _other_ stuff, first.”  
  
“Right! One day at a time.” Rapunzel nodded. “Speaking of which, Varian, I thought that Elsa could help you with your...well, black rock problem.”  
  
“'Black rock problem'?” Varian chuckled. “I don't _have_ one. I mean, I lowered the rocks no problem two days ago, and made clothes out of the black rocks.”  
  
“But, could you _attack_ with them?” Eugene asked. “Could you _summon_ them?”  
  
Varian tensed. “...I don't need to.” He reasoned, looking at his food. “And I summon them just fine to create the clothes, I don't need the sp-spikes.”  
  
He didn't even need to look up to know that they could tell he was lying.  
  
Getting rid of them? No problem! Making them into other shapes? Easy-peasy! But, and he didn't realize Rapunzel had noticed, he stopped short of summoning any rocks bigger than a grain of sand.  
  
Apparently, she _had_ noticed, and thought that the Queen of Arendelle could help him for some reason.  
  
“I don't need help.” He insisted. “Not with my powers. I'm fine.”  
  
“ _Are_ you?” Rapunzel asked, but stopped when Elsa held up a hand.  
  
“Varian, I don't mean to imply that you aren't. But, I know personally how frightening powers like ours can be. And, from what I hear, you have a personal grief about yours, as I did. When I was a little girl, I used to use my powers all the time. But, when Anna and I were playing, we got too excited and I...I struck her with my ice, right in the chest. She was going to die, so we took her to the trolls and she was saved, but only as long as she forgot I had powers. Because I couldn't control them, because of my fear of hurting someone again by getting too...emotional, I was kept apart from her for years.”  
  
She got up from her chair and walked over to him and he got up to meet her halfway. “What would happen if you got upset, or angry, or something else happened and your powers with haywire because you couldn't control them out of fear? Or what if a time comes that you may _need_ to use them for more than what you have been...and you can't?” She gently reached out and clasped his gloved hands in hers. “We are up against an evil that seeks to destroy us, and it may come to life or death. You cannot hold back in using your powers out of fear.”  
  
He sighed and looked to the side. “It's just...so painful to think about them. Those horrible spikes...I saw so many people impaled on them, homes destroyed. Taking them down felt like a lifting a weight of my shoulders, but every time I even _think_ about summoning a spike, I feel...” He gasped as he looked to the side, a red rock growing out of the ground. “ _That_ happens!”  
  
Elsa looked over at it and Varian pulled his hands free and turned to the spike, muttering the incantation to himself as it lowered.  
  
“Can't you see?” He looked at her. “I'm not even summoning _black_ ones anymore, these...these are _different_! Dangerous, I can _feel_ it!”  
  
She sighed and nodded. “Well, that's why I'm here. To help you overcome that fear. Will you allow me to help you?”  
  
He clutched at his chest and looked at where the spike was, before he shakily nodded, looking back at her.  
  
The doors slammed open. “Your Majesty!” A woman cried. “Something terrible is happening!”  
  
“What is it?” Rapunzel got up and left the table.  
  
“Wow, so much excitement in Corona!” Olaf commented as she passed by his chair.  
  
The woman walked further into the room and turned to a child behind her, who was carrying a peculiar-looking bird. “My husband drank some tea and then moment later turned into...into this!”  
  
“Oh no.” Eugene groaned.  
  
“What is it?” Varian asked, walking over to Rapunzel.  
  
“The Feathers have made their move.” Rapunzel cringed. “I should've _known_ it was too peaceful.”  
  
“'The Feathers'?” Elsa asked.  
  
“A husband and wife duo of Disciples that call themselves Mother and Father. They have this tea that can change people into birds.”  
  
“If they're birds for longer than an hour...” Rapunzel clutched at her chest, remembering when she came so close to it, “their minds are trapped in the bird's mind...forever.”  
  
“Oh, yikes!” Anna gasped.  
  
Rapunzel nodded, her expression grim. “We have to find the Feathers and get those eggs.”  
  
“Eggs?” Varian asked.  
  
“Yes. The only way to restore people is with eggs that they--”  
  
“That's stupid.” Varian cut her. “That's literally walking into a trap. Get me some of that tea, I'll whip up a cure.”  
  
Rapunzel pursed her lips and nodded. “Okay.” She looked at the woman. “Bring us that tea. Do you know who else is affected?”  
  
“Well...most of the city?” The woman said nervously.  
  
“They weren't changed when I came through a little while ago, so we have time but not much. Let's get to work.” Varian said firmly.  
  
“We'll track down the Feathers.” Floyd said as he and Clyde got up.  
  
“Be careful.” Rapunzel said, and they nodded and headed out.  
  
Varian followed them and took Clyde's hand. “Seriously, be careful. And, if you have to...”  
  
“I know who to call.” Clyde smiled and kissed him sweetly before they headed out.  
  
Varian sighed. “...Right. Let's get to that tea.”  
  
–  
  
Elsa quietly watched as he worked, deciding that the best way to figure out how to help him was to observe him. He pretty much ignored her, talking to Ruddiger as they worked. Anna had gone out with Rapunzel to round up all the transformed people, and she wasn't sure what Olaf, Sven and Kristoff were up to. Last she saw Sven, he was rolling on the ground naked, saying clothes felt weird, while Maximus tackled him with a blanket.  
  
If she focused, she could find out what Olaf was up to, but she wanted to keep an eye on this boy, this...alchemist that she was supposed to be assisting. She considered asking if he wanted any help, but he was, again, ignoring her and focusing on his work.  
  
“Okay...that's probably not a good sign.” Varian said, disposing of his latest attempt, which was smoking, and going to start over. “Good thing we have lots of tea to work with, heh...”  
  
Elsa shifted a bit, fidgeting with her hands. “Do you...want any help?”  
  
“Have you done alchemy before?” He asked as he kept working.  
  
“No.” She admitted.  
  
“Then, perhaps another time, Your Majesty. Time is of the essence and I can't stop to answer questions or explain anything.” He gasped as the serum he was making started to glow and turn blue. “Blue...like the eggs Rapunzel described.” He breathed. “I think this is it! Let's give it a try.”  
  
He poured some into a vial and walked over to the transformed man sitting on a shelf looking nervous. “Come on,” He coaxed him down. “Let's get you down on the floor for this.”  
  
“What if it doesn't work?” He asked anxiously.  
  
“Then you'll be a bird forever in fifteen minutes, anyway.” He said grimly.  
  
The man nodded and flew down and landed. Varian took a deep breath and tipped the vial over the bird before him. Elsa gasped as it splashed onto him and he started to be engulfed in blue smoke before it cleared and he had restored back to normal.  
  
Varian looked relieved. “Okay. Let's get this bottled up. Your Majesty, _thi_ s you can help with.”  
  
She nodded and they got to work, mixing and bottling up as much as they could before they hurried out to the courtyard, where they found...  
  
Pure pandemonium. The transformed people were _attacking_ , and Rapunzel was cornered against a wall. They were tearing through nets, biting, scratching, viciously attacking.  
  
Elsa sprang into action instantly, setting down the crate she carried and summoning ice to block the birds. They flew around it and she created a cage for them to fly into that closed around them and kept them in place.  
  
“They'll freeze in there!” Varian said anxiously.  
  
“It's alright.” She lowered the ice cage and brought it over on more ice. “Quickly, Varian!”  
  
He nodded and grabbed the bottles, pouring the contents through the gaps in the cage in quick succession, moving around it to hit every bird with Elsa and Ruddiger helping. They changed back and then Varian looked around and saw another bird flying towards him, too quick to dodge. He cried out and threw up his hand, a black rock moving between him and the bird for it to smack into.  
  
Ruddiger ran around and restored the last person, then looked around for any more before he went back to Elsa, who was opening the ice cage. “...That's it.”  
  
“That's it? It's over?” Anna asked.  
  
“It's over. For now.” Rapunzel said grimly. “Elsa? How's Varian doing?”  
  
Elsa looked at him and saw that he seemed to have frozen. She walked closer to him, her brow furrowed. “...Varian?”  
  
Varian let out a scream and threw his hands down, the black rock vanishing into the ground, then brought his hands to his head. “I could've _killed_ them!”  
  
“But you didn't!” Eugene offered helpfully.  
  
“I still _could've_! You don't know what these things can do, you didn't see the bodies. YOU DIDN'T SEE THE BODIES!” Varian backed away from them, curling in on himself. His father came to his side and lifted him into his arms, holding him close and making soothing noises as he sobbed into his hands.  
  
“I'll take him inside.” Quirin said softly as he walked in with the still-sobbing teenager in his arms.  
  
'Oh, Elsa, what have you agreed to?' Elsa thought as she brought a hand through her hair before she turned and ran to check on her sister and friends.  
  
–  
  
The danger was stopped, for now. All the tea was rounded up and destroyed and Varian's cure was mixed up and put in the cupboards, just in case. Rapunzel sighed as she watched him silently work, her arms tightly wrapped around herself. Elsa looked as at a loss of how to help him as Rapunzel felt. This teenager had seen more death, more pain, more suffering than either of them had, and the source if it all was the source of his powers. She'd hoped that Elsa could help him overcome his fear, but it looked like his trauma ran far deeper than either of them could reach.  
  
Yes, she had heard it said several times now, the black rocks had killed many people in Old Corona, forcing them to evacuate whoever they still had, an evacuation Varian couldn't join them for because he was trying to save his father from an accident that should have never happened.  
  
She looked over her shoulder when she heard footsteps and saw Clyde walking past her. “Clyde?”  
  
“The Feathers have been caught and dealt with. Also, Eiram's here, so is Kline.” He said as he passed her. He walked into Varian's lab and placed a hand on his shoulder gently. Varian tensed, looked at him, then turned and clung to him, sobbing softly into his shirt while Clyde soothed him.  
  
–  
  
“Cheaters, cheaters, cheaters!” Melina stomped her foot. “They cheated by using a True Seer to catch Mother and Father Feather!” She crossed her arms over her chest with a pout.  
  
“They were idiots by not staying inside like I said to.” Lucas sighed heavily. “But, you had fun, didn't you?”  
  
“Mmhm. Well, up until the Moonstone summoned the black rock and sent himself in a panic attack—actually, that part was fun, too.” She giggled.  
  
“Aw, my poor little bird is suffering.” Lucas cooed. “And to think he was so confident in the fantasy world. Probably because I altered his memories while he was in there, so he didn't remember all the details he does now.” He sighed wistfully. “I was _so close_ to keeping him then. If only the Sundrop and Regulus hadn't interfered.”  
  
“If only.” Selina nodded. “For now, what do we do about the Ice Queen?”  
  
“Ah, yes.” Lucas chuckled. “What _do_ we do with her? I suggest we lie low for a little while and let the seeds of fate grow and blossom.” He hummed thoughtfully and conjured up an image of Pete sulking while he sharpened swords and Frederic fast asleep. “My little bird is _so_ good at making useful enemies, isn't he?”  
  
“That's true.” Selina smiled. “We'll give them a little break.”  
  
“For a week.” Melina giggled.  
  
“Just until our new brother wakes up and comes out to play.” Lucas purred.

  
The images faded and they all walked into the House of Yesterday's Tomorrow together, anticipating the coming days.  
  
–  
  
Tromus hummed to himself as he watched Frederic sleep. “Soon, brother. Soon, you will be among us and we will make ze Sundrop and Moonstone regret evar crossing us.” He chuckled as he looked at the other alter in the room, where Varian had laid before. “Oui, zhey will be wishing zhey stayed asleep, in zhe world where everyzhing was...perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Varian's got some serious issues.


	62. Therapy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After some research, Elsa has a therapy session with Varian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney  
> Frozen (c) Disney

“Okay...I need to know _everything_ that Varian's gone through if I'm going to be able to help him. Because he's _clearly_ got some serious issues that go beyond being afraid of his powers.” Elsa said as she sat down on Rapunzel's bed with Anna.  
  
Rapunzel glanced away. “Uh...well...” She sighed and got up. “It's...pretty bad. Here, I...I'll show you my journal, I wrote down everything he told me about. In fact, you may as well just read the whole thing, it talks about everything I know about the Disciples, Varian, the black rocks, everything. And...some other stuff, too, of course...heh...” She glanced away, blushing.  
  
“Oh boy, storytime!” Anna scooted in close as Elsa was handed Rapunzel's journal.  
  
“Before you start...” Rapunzel sighed. “I...haven't always been so close to Varian. In case, you could say that I...took advantage of his loneliness and need to be accepted, even if I didn't see it that way before. But, we've...we've talked about it all.”  
  
Elsa sighed. “We all make mistakes, Rapunzel.” She opened the book and they started to read. Rapunzel decided to occupy herself with painting while they read. Judging by the various sounds they were making, they seemed to be really into it.  
  
By the time she had finished her painting, Anna was sobbing into her sister's shoulder as Elsa stroked her back soothingly.  
  
“He was just a little boy!” Anna wailed. “Just a little boy! How could he _do_ that to him?!”  
  
“I don't know.” Rapunzel sighed, walking over to sit with them again. “But, I'm trying to make things right.”  
  
Elsa sighed and closed the book, handing it back. “...Okay, then. I need to go find Varian.”  
  
Rapunzel nodded. “Good luck.”  
  
“Mm...gonna need it.” She admitted, getting up from the bed and rubbing Anna's head. “Why don't you go find Olaf, hm?”  
  
“Okay.” Anna nodded.  
  
Elsa smiled, then looked back at the book before she left the room.  
  
Rapunzel got up as Anna did the same and went over to put the journal away. “You see the danger we're facing? Why I had to call your sister?”  
  
Anna nodded. “But, Rapunzel, you don't think we're in over our heads?”  
  
“Whether we are or not, we don't have a choice. These people want to summon the demon Zhan Tiri and bring an unending chaos to our world. We can't let that happen.”  
  
Anna nodded. “You're right. We can't.” She looked at the door. “We _have_ to succeed.”  
  
–  
  
Quirin sighed as he watched Varian and Clyde quietly work in the lab in the castle, working with Clyde's teacher Eiram to make some kind of demon-hunting weapon. He noticed someone coming up behind him and turned to see Floyd had joined him. “Floyd?”  
  
“Quirin,” Floyd sighed, “I've been...thinking. I know that you might hate it, but we need all the help we can get, right?”  
  
“...Yes?” Quirin frowned.  
  
Floyd looked at him. “Then, why have you not contacted Donella for help?”  
  
Quirin grit his teeth, his fists clenched. “No.”  
  
“Quirin, we have contacted the Queen of _another land_ for help, someone _completely unrelated_. You cannot hold back on calling for help from someone you _know_ to be helpful, that has a _stake_ in all thi--”  
  
“I WILL **NOT** CALL THAT **BACKSTABBING BITCH**!” Quirin roared, and he tensed as he heard the activity in the lab stop short. He sighed and grabbed Floyd's arm, pulling him away from it and leaving a confused Hector to watch the lab alone.  
  
Floyd sighed and waited for him to let go of his arm and turned to him. “Quirin, I _know_ how you feel about her. Sun knows that you and I have had many a drink over it. But, I _also_ know that she can _help_ , and we _cannot_ let old grudges get in the way of the fight! She's practically part of it anyway, because of that ward she left on the house!”  
  
“And that is the _closest_ I want her to be to Varian. I don't want her having _anything_ to do with my family again, Floyd, you _know_ this!” Quirin said furiously, turning to go.  
  
“ _How long_ do you intend to stay _angry_? She did not _force_ Ulla to go, and she looked as hurt by her loss as _you_ are! You cannot hold her accountable for what happened to your wife forever, Quirin!” Floyd yelled after him.  
  
“I don't want her anywhere _near_ Varian, not after she stole his mother away!” Quirin said, turning to face him.  
  
“There was no 'stealing'! She didn't abduct her in the night! _She agreed_ to go, _you let her_ go, and Donlla could've stayed away, but she came back to return Ulla's things to you, _knowing_ how angry you could get! _Knowing_ that it would hurt her to see you again!” Floyd walked towards him. “Quirin, please, use your common sense! You cannot keep pushing her away, especially not now! You _know_ she would come if you called!”  
  
“I don't _want_ to see her!” Quirin snapped. “I don't want to _think_ of her, I never asked for her ward, I never asked for the past to be dredged up by...I _don't_ want her in my life again! All I did for her, and she couldn't even protect Ulla! _She let her die_!”  
  
“And _you_ let her go.” Floyd said grimly. “So, which is it you're mad at? Yourself, or Donella? Aren't you just projecting your anger at yourself on the woman that is probably as devastated by her loss as _you_ are?”  
  
Quirin raised his fist, as if to punch him, then lowered it and stormed off back to the lab.  
  
“...Is...now a bad time?”  
  
Floyd turned and saw Elsa standing in the hallway behind him, looking a little nervous. “No, your Majesty. Now is a fine time. Go on, Varian's in the lab.”  
  
She nodded and walked past him, glancing at Quirin as she passed by him on her way in.  
  
Quirin sighed and rubbed at his head. Hector glanced at him and then at Varian, who was silently working, both of them clearly affected by something in their past neither of them wanted to talk about.  
  
Sometimes, he wanted to go back to living in the tree. It was simpler.  
  
–  
  
“Rapunzel showed me her journal.” Elsa said gently. “I won't ask for you to show me your back.”  
  
“Thank you.” Varian said, glancing away.  
  
They had moved to a gazebo outside to talk alone, away from prying eyes and ears. Rapunzel had brought them snacks and drinks and them left them alone to talk.  
  
Elsa sighed and clasped her hands in her lap. “But, I am guessing there is more to your...distress than just what Rapunzel knows.”  
  
“She never saw the bodies. She doesn't understand how... _dangerous_ the spikes are.” Varian said, shaking his head. “ _None_ of them understand, no one from the Capital!”  
  
Elsa nodded. “Varian...when I first released my powers after years of isolation, I created an eternal winter by accident. I had fled the castle, frozen the ocean to cross it to the mainland, then ran wild in the mountains creating snow and just...playing with my powers. I didn't realize how bad it got until Anna came after me and _told_ me. I didn't realize the damage I had caused, the people I had hurt. According to Rapunzel's journal, the Moonstone that resides in you is sentient. Did she mean to hurt anyone?”  
  
Varian shook his head. “But, she did.”  
  
Elsa nodded. “Prince Hans, Anna's then-boyfriend, brought a group to track me down, separate from Anna. I had just sent Anna away – after accidentally striking her with ice again in my panic about hurting people with my powers – when they arrived. And...” she sighed and got up, throwing out a hand to create ice spikes,“I came very close to _killing someone_ that day. So, I _know_ the fear of hurting people with powers you can barely control. I was panicking, using ice to knock them away from me, threatening them to stay away so I wouldn't hurt them. Just like you panicked and summoned a spike to block the bird coming at you. But, Varian...” she waved her hands and the spikes reshaped into a statue of Anna, “if you don't let fear _rule_ you, then you can create beautiful things. Come on...try it.”  
  
Varian slowly got up. “I...I don't know.”  
  
Elsa offered him her hand. “Just...focus. Make something beautiful out of the rocks.”  
  
Varian nodded and held out a hand. “ _Crescent high above”_ , he sang, “ _evolving as you go. Raise what lies beneath and let the darkness grow._ ”  
  
Elsa watched as a black rock came out of the ground and started to grow, a few others coming out to join it as they merged together and took a shape. “ _Bend it to my will. Consume the sunlight's glow. Rise into the sky, and let the darkness grow. Let darkness grow._ ”  
  
He lowered his hand, his other hand tightly gripping Elsa's as he looked at his creation. It was a woman Elsa hadn't seen before, and Varian let out a soft cry before he threw his hand down, the rocks sinking into the ground, and he slumped to his knees, tugging her down a bit with him as he did.  
  
“I'm sorry...today is a...really bad day, I guess.” He said, pulling his hand free and burying his face in his arms and knees. “I heard dad talking about...” He sighed and looked up at where the statue stood. “That was my mother.”  
  
Elsa sighed and knelt next to him. “...I lost my parents, too. They left on a trip when I was still in isolation and never returned. Do you want to talk about her?”  
  
Varian tensed, then looked at her. “Dad doesn't...he forbids me from...” He glanced away, tugging at his glove.  
  
Elsa offered him her hand. “It's alright. I won't force you to do anything.” She glanced at the glove as he tugged on it. “Why do you wear the gloves all the time?”  
  
“When I was growing up...dad...had a lot of rules. One of them was to never remove my gloves. I guess because it would...trigger my powers or something. He hid my powers from me for most of my life, forbid me from going out at night, forbid me from removing my gloves, so many...rules. And one of them was also to not talk about my mom, s-so...heh.” He gripped his arm as he got up.  
  
“When I was in isolation, I was also told to keep my gloves on.” Elsa said softly. “I don't wear them anymore, but...you know, it was...sometimes, I...I feel the urge to pull them back on, when I'm feeling nervous or...or scared.”  
  
Varian nodded. “...There's another power I'm afraid to use. It requires me taking my gloves off to use it, though.” He turned to her. “A decay spell. A _plague_ that sucks away the life of anything I touch.” He clenched his fists. “How can I feel comfortable using my powers for anything but...you know, _armor_ if all I have is destruction?”  
  
“Maybe you don't just have destruction.” Elsa smiled. “Sometimes...you need to look inside yourself to find out your true potential. Ask the moon for guidance.” She reached up to rub his head. “I know that it's scary, trust me, I _know_. But, there's nothing to be scared of if you use it properly. So, let's try again. Why don't you make...a fence?”  
  
“A fence?” His brow furrowed.  
  
“It's using the spikes but not in a destructive way.” She explained. “Come on, humor me.”  
  
He sighed and walked forward, holding out his hand and summoning spikes. His eyes widened and he jerked his hand back as they came out red. “I can't do it!” He cried, shaking his head.  
  
“Varian, it's alright!” Elsa gently took his hand. “I know, you're scared, but you _can_ do it!”  
  
He looked at her, then at the red spike, which he focused on lowering. He swallowed nervously and held her hand tighter before he pulled off one of his gloves with his teeth and then held out his hand, taking a deep breath and focusing.  
  
He couldn't let fear get in his way. There was so much at stake, and he had to be able to use everything he knew to fight the Disciples.  
  
'But, I'm so scared...' He thought.  
  
 _ **Dear Sliver...you are stronger than you know. Be brave.**_  
  
He swallowed nervously and then flicked his wrist, summoning one black spike, then another one near it, then a third one, and finally a fourth, adding spike after spike around the ice sculpture of Anna and then, finally, connecting them all like a fence with a horizontal spike running through all of them. Then he lowered his hand, his body trembling.  
  
“It's alright. Leave it there.” Elsa said softly, then gently coaxed him to walk with her towards it. “Go on...touch it.”  
  
Varian swallowed nervously and reached out his hand to touch the cool, smooth surface of the rock. It didn't hurt to touch it, or bring up bad memories, and he slowly moved his hand from hers and removed his other glove, touching another spike as his body started to glow, though it was hard to see in the afternoon light.  
  
Elsa stood quietly by his side, her hands clasped together as he gripped the spikes, his body trembling. The spikes...weren't dangerous, not really. They were just like alchemy, harmless unless _used_ to attack. The Moonstone hadn't meant to hurt anyone, it was just bad...bad timing, bad...he confused them. If he hadn't been there, they would've just moved on to find Rapunzel. They should've evacuated way sooner to the city, as soon as they found out the rocks couldn't be destroyed. At least, then, the rocks would've gone on towards Rapunzel, if he was in the same place as her.  
  
 _But, you didn't. And you had no place there, there was no room in her life for you until you ripped into it and forced yourself there. She didn't care about you until you_ _ **made**_ _her care._  
  
He pushed aside the bitter thought and moved his hands from the spikes before he focused on lowering them into the ground and then he knelt to pick up his fallen gloves.  
  
“I think we made great progress today.” Elsa smiled. “Why don't we take a break and have a snack?”  
  
He nodded and walked back to the gazebo to take a seat. “...What...what was your mother like?”  
  
“She was...” Elsa sighed, “very kind, and gentle, and everything a Queen should be. I only hope that I can be--”  
  
“I don't mean what kind of Queen was she. I want to know about _her_. About your parents. Where...” he sighed, “where did your powers come from?”  
  
“I don't know.” Elsa admitted. “I was just...born with them.”  
  
Varian sighed. “Everything has a source, Elsa.” He looked at his gloved hand. “Nothing is just...Everything has a source. A beginning, a...Nothing comes from nothing.”  
  
“Well, when I find out, I'll tell you.” She chuckled a bit. “But, we're not here about _me_ , we're here about _you_. And, you know...” She sighed. “I think that your fear isn't the only thing dragging you down. You're afraid to fight, because you think your anger will make something bad happen, right?”  
  
“Anger?” He asked softly.  
  
“Yes. Against the former King, the Disciples, the orchestrators of your pain. Do you really think that he decided to attack you on his own?” Elsa sat down in her own chair and picked up a cookie from the plate. “This has been a long game from the start, just looking at all the facts. Yes, he had been in denial, but it wasn't until the blizzard that the King mistreated you.”  
  
“Until my father was no longer in his way!” Varian snapped.  
  
“Until the Disciples were unsealed.” She said gently. “Varian, how long have you been dealing with 'Lucas'? According to Rapunzel's journal, he was someone you knew painfully well.”  
  
Varian sighed. “...Lucas...was my Keeper, my...personal tormentor, my...” He wrapped his arms around himself. “After the blizzard, the people of Corona Capital wouldn't let me back into the city. I was...stoned, had fruit thrown at me, yelled at. I fled...after a week, I opened he door to my home and found these...masked men standing outside. Mostly, they just corralled me, kept me from leaving, hit me if I went too far.” He pursed his lips grimly.  
  
“But, Lucas took it to another level.” He looked to the side, his gaze distant. “He would catch me and slam me into the wall, whisper...horrifying threats of what he'd do to me if he caught me again. One time I tried to fight back and he hurt me badly. Another time he slammed me into the wall so hard I felt dizzy. Both times, I woke up to find a kind masked man, who I later found out was Captain Solomon. The first time, he saved me from being pulverized, had to remind him I...wasn't allowed to die. The second time...Lucas was going to...” he shivered, “he, uh, intended to deflower me.”  
  
“Merciful heavens.” Elsa breathed.  
  
“Yeah. But, he didn't get the chance to, I was...protected. But, when Rapunzel finally came to...get the graphtych, he was weakened with the others out and I managed to escape. Then, when...when I...you know, went to prison, most of them, those guys, were there waiting for me, and Lucas he...he taunted me, he had...plans. Andrew put a stop to them, recognizing Lucas wasn't human, and...made a Deal with him to protect me from all of them. Until I was 18, no one would...yeah.” He cleared his throat. “But, they still teased me, Lucas acted like I was his property, said as soon as I turned eighteen he'd...use my body as he liked. That he'd 'settle for the consolation prize for now'...”  
  
He sighed heavily and looked to the side. “Lucas is a manipulative monster, but he's _not_ to blame for Frederic's actions. He might've spurred him on, but the _intent_ was already there. Once my father was gone, I was easy prey, fair game, he wanted to lock me away and hide me from the world and use my skills as his slave. Lucas had _nothing_ to do with that, _nothing_ to do with the scars on my back, the cruel offers he kept giving me. They had a room already prepared for me, the Overseer was _excited_ to finally meet me, he _clearly_ had been planning to bring me there for _a long time_.” _  
  
_–  
  
Okaaaay...so, the leader of the Disciples, from what she'd been hearing, was apparently a child predator that was targeting Varian, the former King of Corona was a deranged maniac that looked at his skills and thought “I want to lock that up and use it for myself” and, apparently, he had some unresolved issues with his father and more than enough trauma to flood Arendelle with.  
  
“Well...” Elsa said, already thinking of the room of ice she intended to close herself in to scream in, “luckily, you have Rapunzel on your side. She's not going to let either of them hurt you. Plus, the bunker is taken down and all the Saporians are free, so you definitely won't be going there. And...I don't know anything about Deals, but I don't think you have to worry about him...deflowering you before you're eighteen, and we're going to beat them before you're that old.” She assured him.  
  
“Hm, someone's confident.” Varian chuckled. “Well, I turn 16 soon, so that gives us two more years to deal with this...mess.”  
  
“Plenty of time.” She smiled and motioned to the cookies. “Go ahead and eat.”  
  
He picked one up and sighed, then looked over as he heard arguing. “Ugh, Pete's at it again.”  
  
“'Pete'?” She asked.  
  
“Yeah. He's this jerk of a guard that acted like a goody-goody until I put him on truth serum and exposed his true colors.” Varian rolled his eyes. “Nice to know that bite he got the other day hasn't affected his _charming_ personality.”  
  
Elsa looked over at the guards yelling. “Why did you do that?”  
  
“Well, for one thing, his little _act_ was pissing me off.” Varian rolled his eyes. “He basically threw me out into the blizzard and said I wasn't worth Rapunzel's time before slamming the door in my face. I mean, Stan sent me out too, but he didn't insult me and even said 'be safe going home' before the door was slammed shut. Anyways, I needed someone stupid enough to accept cookies from a bush that would share it around and while he's a _jerk,_ he's also _generous_ enough to _share_ his delicious bounty.”  
  
“My, you were...diabolical.” Elsa remarked.  
  
He shrugged. “I lost my mind from the desperation of wanting to escape, to fight back.” He picked up one of the juices left for them and swirled it in his hand. “Maybe...if they had turned back...had looked for me...hadn't just...returned to the Capital once they got what they wanted...maybe I would've never become a criminal.”  
  
He sighed and took a sip of his drink before setting it down and getting up. “But...I can't dwell on the 'what-ifs' and the 'maybes'. My life went as it went and I have to accept that and move on. Anyways, I should get back to the lab, got a weapon to build and all. Thanks for the talk, Your Majesty.” He he walked off, leaving her at the gazebo alone.  
  
Elsa sighed and looked at the juice in front of her, silently wishing it was something stronger. “...Next time, then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elsa needs her OWN therapist after all that.


	63. Reprieve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With things calmed down a little, everyone takes some time to relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

“It's nice to have a peaceful day.” Pascal said as he sat with Maximus and Ruddiger, leaning against a fence near Varian's home.  
  
“Yeah.” Ruddiger nodded. “We have been _way_ too busy lately. Sorry my old colleagues are assholes.” He got up and went to pick three apples, tossing them at them.  
  
“Meh.” Pascal shrugged, catching his apple as Maximus did the same.  
  
“You know, _usually_ when things are this quiet, Eugene attempts to propose again.” Maximus said thoughtfully. “Think he's going to do it today?” He took a bite of his apple.  
  
“What's this about a proposal?” Sven said eagerly, bouncing over to join them. Maximus choked on his apple piece and groaned after Pascal helped him dislodge it. “You know, I know _all_ about love. I was raised by love experts! I bet I could give you some great pointers!”  
  
“None of us are proposing.” Ruddiger said, picking another apple and tossing it to Sven, who yelped as it hit him in the face and knocked him down. “Whoops.”  
  
“I don't think Eugene _needs_ any advice.” Maximus said as he walked over to help the reindeer-man up.  
  
“Ohhh, the Queen's boyfriend?” Sven asked excitedly. “I bet I have _loads_ of advice for him!” He bounced on his feet, turned, scrabbled his feet a bit and took off running.  
  
The trio stared after him, processing what happened, then gasped.  
  
“Hey, wait!” Pascal hopped off the fence and they ran after them together.  
  
–  
  
Varian looked over from his book as he saw them running by and sighed, shaking his head. “What are those guys up to, now?” He muttered, leaning back against the tree he was sitting under.  
  
“So, this is where you live?”  
  
He jolted and looked up to see Elsa leaning against a fence. He closed his book and got up, holding out a hand to still Hamuel, who had been about to get up to address the visitor. “Your Majesty.” He bowed at the waist.  
  
“Please, just call me Elsa.” She smiled gently and walked over to him. “It's...more comfortable. Besides, shouldn't I be bowing to you? You're the Celestial.”  
  
Varian blushed and rubbed the back of his head. “U-Uhm, yeah. Heh. Do you want to come in? I can make some hot cocoa.”  
  
“That would be wonderful.” She agreed, and they started off to the manor, Hamuel quietly following. “Your village is very pleasant, very green and full of life.”  
  
“Well, we're working on the 'full of life' part. Mr. Miller sent messages out to the other people that evacuated, letting them know the rocks are gone and we're repairing the place.” Varian nodded.  
  
“I meant the flora and fauna, but that's good to hear.” Elsa nodded. “Varian, I've been wondering something.”  
  
“Yeah?” He looked at her.  
  
“I've been hearing...talk about you coming back to Corona wearing some...fancy magical outfit that reminded people of... _me_?” Elsa asked with amusement.  
  
Varian groaned. “Ohh, that. Yeah, uh, when I first got the Moonstone, it decided to give me this fancy outfit with a super long cape and everyone was making jokes about my taking fashion advice from you. I was stuck in that thing until I learned to control the rocks, and I was determined to figure it out myself instead of having the answer given to me. I'm weird like that.”  
  
“May I see it?” She asked with an amused smile.  
  
He sighed. “Okay, but you need to show me yours, too. I've only heard about it, never actually seen it.”  
  
“Okay.” She nodded.  
  
“Let's do this inside.” He opened the door and walked in, Elsa following him in, and they went into the kitchen. “Hey, dad. Mind if we do some magic here or should we go to my room?”  
  
“I'm cooking, go to your room.” Quirin said, not looking up from his stirring.  
  
Varian nodded and motioned for Elsa to follow as he headed up to his room. Once up there, he let Elsa look around to satisfy her curiosity and then she turned to him. “What's this on your bed?” She pointed to the metal appendages.  
  
“Various grooming tools.” He shrugged. “Alright, so...ladies first?”  
  
She stood up and waved her hands around, changing her appearance into the clothes she wore the day she finally accepted her powers. Varian stared in awe and resisted the urge to ask to touch it, to know if it was cold or not. She seemed to know what he was thinking, though, and offering her arm for him to touch her sleeve.  
  
“It's actually not that cold.” She said with a gentle smile. “Somehow.”  
  
He chuckled. “Somehow.” He gently moved his hand along her arm, picking at her sleeve to feel the ice particles that made it up. “You know...I kind of expected to panic a little when I first saw you use your powers but...I think we're good, as long as you don't unleash a blizzard.”  
  
“Well, then I will do my best to _not_ unleash a blizzard.” She nodded. “Your turn.”  
  
“Oh, gosh. It's so dumb.” He blushed. “There's a tiara and everything.”  
  
“Show me.” She coaxed him.  
  
He sighed and stepped back, then closed his eyes and focused, changing his clothes into the black rock armor he woke up in the Moonstone Chamber in. He heard her give a soft gasp and opened his eyes before smiling and offering her his arm.  
  
“This is...your rocks?” She asked in awe, examining his sleeve and then the cape. “It's _beautiful_. I didn't know they _came_ in other colors, you've only shown me black and red.”  
  
“I don't know how the red happens. I think it's just..my fear being manifest. But black, white and blue are all colors I can change the rocks into.” Varian explained.  
  
She hummed thoughtfully, then giggled as she caught sight of their reflections in a full-length mirror. “You know what? Side-by-side like this? They're right.”  
  
He chuckled. “Yeah. Oh, but you don't have a crown.”  
  
“I can fix that.” She used her magic to give herself an ice crown and then they both laughed.  
  
“Varian? Is everything alright?” Quirin asked.  
  
“Yeah, we're fine!” Varian called down. “Hey, let's go down like this.”  
  
“Ah, yes, displaying our _fabulous_ matching magical clothes.” She giggled and Varian went over to open the door before motioning for her to go first. “After you, m'lady.”  
  
“Why, thank you, good sir.” She did a curtsy and lifted her skirt as she started down the steps, her cape trailing behind her. Varian waited a bit then followed her down.  
  
Quirin looked up at they came down. “I prepared some hot cocoa for you both, if you—oh my.” He turned to him. “I thought you didn't like this outfit, Varian?”  
  
“We're just showing them off to each other.” Varian shrugged as they went to take a seat at the table.  
  
“Hm.” Quirin walked over and set their drinks in front of them.  
  
“Thank you, sir.” Elsa said politely before taking a sip o her drink. “Mmm, chocolate.”  
  
“I know, right?” Varian grinned. “It's best when it's hot, just slides down your throat and warms you up after being in the cold outside.”  
  
“Mm. What are you doing for Yuletide this year?” Elsa asked. “That is what you celebrate here, right? We celebrate Christmas in Arendelle. Is it much different?”  
  
Varian shrugged. “I don't know. Yuletide is so far away, we're just trying to focus on surviving to the end of the year _at all_. Demons first, parties after.” He sipped at his drink. “The last couple Yuletides haven't been so good for me.” He cleared his throat. “Speaking of parties, Rapunzel wants to celebrate my sixteenth birthday, but I haven't celebrated it since...” He glanced at his father. “Well, in a long time.”  
  
Quirin focused on his cooking. Elsa sipped at her drink, guessing this had something to do with whoever “Donella” was. Varian's entire family seemed to have...issues, but she was here to help him overcome his issues with his powers, not help him figure out his family problems - which he'd pretty much figured out, so now she was just getting used to him. Then again, she hadn't seen him summon the spikes without holding her hand, so...they still had some work to do.  
  
“So, uhm...what's Arendelle like?” Varian asked, changing the subject.  
  
Elsa smiled and started to talk about her homeland, grateful for the change.  
  
–  
  
“No.” Eugene said flatly as he examined himself in the mirror. “No, I do _not_ need 'love advice' from a _reindeer_.”  
  
“Really? Because I've asked Owl and he said that you've tried and failed proposing to her at least two times.” Sven said, sitting on his bed.  
  
Eugene sputtered. “OWL!”  
  
“So, I _really_ think you need my advice.” Sven nodded. “Like I said, I was raised by--”  
  
“By 'love experts'. Yeeeah, no. Look, Rapunzel and I have just been...” he sighed, reaching into his vest to pull out the ring box, “a lot's been going on. A lot. There's her getting used to being the princess, then the Varian stuff, and now demons...it's a mess.”  
  
“ _What's_ a mess?” Cassandra asked, looking into the room.  
  
“Does _no one_ respect my _privacy_ anymore?!” Eugene groaned, putting the box back in his vest. “I thought you were training with your dads or something?”  
  
“They're sparring, I figured I'd go see what _you_ were up to.” Cassandra smirked.  
  
“What about Rapunzel?” Eugene asked.  
  
“She's too busy having 'girl talk' with Anna and Juniper. Honestly, I'm worried that they're going to come out of that with more knowledge on what goes in the bedroom than they're comfortable with.” Cassandra sighed. “But, who am I to get in the way of three princesses having 'girl talk'?”  
  
Eugene sighed. “So you decided to bother me.”  
  
“Yep.” Cassandra smirked. “Unless you have a better suggestion?”  
  
Eugene sighed. “I don't know...catching the snowman?”  
  
“Catching the--” Cassandra looked over her shoulder at Olaf running by with a dress, Faith running after him. “Catching the snowman it is.” She ran after him.  
  
Eugene breathed a sigh of relief, then groaned when Sven said, “So, as I was saying, you just need to know how to set the mooood properly. And use the right words, of course. Now, I asked about your last proposals...gotta say, not impressed. Talking about growing 'old and gray' isn't really going to win you any points, and she _definitely_ wasn't in any mood for a proposal at the time, so...”  
  
Eugene ran his hands over his face and wondered how he was getting out of this.  
  
–  
  
“I don't like this.” Rapunzel said softly. “I feel like we're in the calm before the storm, like something... _really bad_ is coming.”  
  
“Elsa was saying something like that, too.” Anna said, brushing Rapunzel's hair while Juniper brushed Anna's hair. “That something dark is coming.”  
  
Rapunzel clutched at her hair anxiously. “I'm just so nervous...and scared.”  
  
“It's okay to be scared.” Juniper assured her. “What's important is that you don't let that fear hold you down and keep you from doing what's right. We knew that this wouldn't be easy when we decided to have the revolution, we knew that the Disciples had been causing you guys trouble, targeting you. Honestly, we should've seen their alliance coming a hundred miles away.”  
  
Rapunzel looked over her shoulder. “How are you so relaxed?”  
  
“Well, try to look at it from my perspective, Raps. We not only ended a centuries-long conflict between our people, but I got my dad back and loads of missing people. And our enemies are the people responsible for the whole thing? I'm excited to kick ass and get revenge for what happened to my ancestors!” Juniper grinned.  
  
“Yeah, kick ass!” Anna cheered. “...Why are we kicking a donkey?”  
  
Juniper laughed. “It's also a crude word for 'butt'.”  
  
“Ohhh.” Anna nodded.  
  
“Normally I'd be teaching you _all sorts_ of crude things, but I don't want to risk pissing off your sister.” Juniper admitted.  
  
“Ohhh, tell me!” Anna said excitedly.  
  
“I wanna know, too!” Rapunzel said eagerly.  
  
“Well, since you're being so _insistent.._.” Juniper smirked.  
  
“Juniper, would it be _too much_ to ask you to _not_ corrupt these two Princesses?” Andrew asked as he leaned against the doorway.  
  
“Is it _too much_ to ask for _you_ to not intrude on a _private discussion_ , Andrew?” Juniper looked at him with a smirk.  
  
“When I heard that someone was careless enough to leave _you_ with not just one but _two_ impressionable Princesses from different cultures than ours, I knew I had to hurry over and make sure you didn't fill their heads with anything...unfortunate.” Andrew walked into the room and chuckled. “Princess Anna, I think your boyfriend was looking for you earlier.”  
  
“Oh, he was?” Anna asked. “I wonder why? I bet he found something cool he wants to share with me.” She got up and headed for the door.  
  
“Queen Rapunzel, I believe _your_ boyfriend needs some rescuing from a reindeer.” Andrew chuckled.  
  
“Oh, Sven's not doing any harm.” Anna assured him as she walked out.  
  
“Ruddiger was the one that told me. Apparently he heard you guys had a couple failed proposals and wanted to help.” Andrew chuckled.  
  
“I better go.” Rapunzel got up and tied up her hair as she left her room.  
  
Juniper sighed and got up. “You never let me have any fun.”  
  
“My _dearest_ little sister,” Andrew started.  
  
“Uh oh.” Juniper cringed.  
  
“ _Your_ brand of fun involves fifteen bottles of something strong, no clothes and a lot of touching in places that would make their boyfriends scream.” He finished.  
  
“Oh, please. You know I don't sleep with taken people, only single ones or taken people AND their partners. Rules of Saporia.” She walked past him, tossing her hair over her shoulder.  
  
“Mmm, you still would've gotten them both VERY inebriated and they would've been found naked in bed with you and the rumors would fly like birds.” He walked after her.  
  
“Speaking of birds, any sign of more of that tea?” Juniper asked, her tone serious.  
  
“No, we got it all, and the two Disciples responsible are sealed away.” Andrew assured her.  
  
“That's good. Any sign of Lucas, or anyone else?” Juniper frowned.  
  
“No. The only Disciple we've seen since they were caught has been Regulus, which is...suspicious. I don't like it.” Andrew walked over to lean against a window, looking out it at the woods in the distance. “The others are planning something. And where did Frederic go? We need to find them, find where they're hiding and--”  
  
“Drew, Drew, Andy-drew.” She reached up and rubbed his head before rubbing his shoulders gently. “You need to learn how to shut off. You have been 'on alert' since the revolution. Maybe they're planning something, we can probably count on that, but we can't do anything about it right now. Let's not stress out and jump at shadows.”  
  
He sighed and turned to her. “I'd rather jump at shadows than be caught off-guard.” He stepped away from her and walked on. “Kline says that he needs Varian to grow accustomed to his powers so he can learn 'the rest', Rapunzel also needs to learn all of the magic the Sundrop grants her, and she would rather play games and _paint_ than meet with him so he can help her unlock her powers.” He stopped and clenched his fists. “But, we're in a _war_ , Juniper. We're at constant risk. We hide away behind wards while they plot and scheme and use even our allies to sneak in an attack. The tea came in an a Nerserdnian vessel! What _else_ will they sneak in?! We don't have _time_ to sit around brushing hair and talking about sex!”  
  
“I'd say that you need to get laid and relax, but...” Juniper sighed.  
  
“I've had _enough_ of that, and it _doesn't r_ elax me.” He said grimly.  
  
“I know.” She nodded. “...Hey, seen Varian around?”  
  
“He's in Old Corona. Queen Elsa asked me about the same thing, so I suppose she's gone to visit him.” Andrew sighed.  
  
“Right...hey, wanna go see if Caine's back?” She nudged him and he smiled a bit before they walked on.  
  
–  
  
Lucas hummed to himself as he prepared a bedroom. Soon, very soon, it would have a rather important occupant, and it needed to be fit for a King.  
  
“Do you need anything else?” Tromus asked as he stood at the door.  
  
“I think we're all set.” Lucas hummed thoughtfully. “How much longer?”  
  
“21 hours.” Tromus assured him.  
  
“Ah, I'm so excited. I feel like I'm waiting on a baby to be born. I can't wait to see what powers he has! And what his Disciple form will look like! Ah, he's going to be beautiful, I just know it!” Lucas giggled a bit.  
  
“Yes, we are all very excited.” Tromus assured him.  
  
“Can we hold a feast? I know _all_ his favorite foods!” Lucas said eagerly.  
  
“A feast, yes, we will have a feast.” Tromus assured him. “Honestly, I had forgotten how excited you got about zhis.”  
  
“Just 21 more hours. Less than a _day_.” Lucas sighed happily and went to adjust the bedspread a little. “The anticipation is _killing_ me!” He fell on the bed and laughed.  
  
Tromus chuckled through his lips and left the room. “Oh, sometimes I wish it _would_...” He muttered as he left the room.  
  
Lucas gave him a good-natured middle finger and wolfish grin in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something dark is waking up...

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes it's just better to follow the rules.


End file.
